In many ways, our current president is a trailblazer: the first commander-in-chief without any previous government or public service experience, the first to dub his golf resort the Winter White House, and the first to profit from a global business empire while serving in office. But now we can add another unique distinction: he’s the first president whose words are often so jumbled that transcribing them is nearly impossible.
The Associated Press recently released transcripts from an interview with Trump, revealing a staggering 16 moments where his statements were marked as “unintelligible.” Here’s a taste of his musings:
TRUMP: “You have to love people. And if you love people, such a big responsibility. (unintelligible) You can take any single thing, including even taxes. I mean we’re going to be doing major tax reform. Here’s part of your story, it’s going to be a big (unintelligible). Everybody’s saying, ‘Oh, he’s delaying.’ I’m not delaying anything. I’ll tell you the other thing is (unintelligible). I used to get great press. I get the worst press. I get such dishonest reporting with the media…”
And another gem:
“I get treated so badly. Yesterday, about the thing, you know when I said it’s a terrorism … it may be. I said it may be a terrorist attack and MSNBC, I heard, went crazy, ‘He called it a terrorist attack.’ They thought it was a bank robbery. By the way, I’m 10-0 for that…”
His responses often circle back to his belief that he has been wronged, a theme that echoes throughout the interview. The transcript is littered with ellipses—55 instances to be exact—where his thoughts seem to fizzle out mid-sentence.
“I want to do the job, but not many more. … This is an important story. I’ve done a lot. I’ve done more than any other president in the first 100 days and I think the first 100 days is an artificial barrier. And I’m scheduled … the foundations have been set to do some great things.”
Commentators on social media quickly reacted to the disjointed nature of his words. A host named Lisa Morgan pointed out how Trump’s mind meanders without a clear direction, while another commentator, Mark Daniels, said, “It’s like a babbling brook of confusion!”
The interview also included some outright misstatements. ABC News reported that it demonstrated his lack of familiarity with promises made in his “contract” with voters. The Washington Post noted his tendency to exaggerate, creating what they called a “revisionist history.”
For instance, Trump claimed he had never supported WikiLeaks, despite a trove of past tweets and rally footage to the contrary. He boasted that he had accomplished more than any other president in his first 100 days, but an AP fact-check found that he had only fulfilled 10 out of 38 specific promises made to Americans.
Here’s a classic exchange that showcases his tendency to create new inaccuracies:
TRUMP: “OK. The one thing I’ve learned to do that I never thought I had the ability to do. I don’t watch CNN anymore.”
AP: “You just said you did.”
TRUMP: “No. No, I, if I’m passing it, what did I just say (inaudible)?”
And let’s not forget, he emphasized something he rarely mentions: he won the election.
Regarding his much-discussed border wall, he stated: “I don’t know yet. People want the border wall. My base definitely wants the border wall… The electoral college is very difficult for a Republican to win…”
One of my favorite summaries of this perplexing interview comes from a contributor named Sarah Lane: “This AP Trump interview transcript is like receiving a lovely-horrible gift, like a fancy bath salt while you slowly drown.”
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In summary, Trump’s interview was a wild ride of incoherence, misinformation, and self-promotion, leaving many scratching their heads and wondering what exactly he meant to convey.