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Contribution to Book
Donald Trump, Twitter, and Islamophobia: The End of Dignity in Presidential Rhetoric about Terrorism
Presidential Rhetoric on Terrorism under Bush, Obama and Trump
  • Gabriel Rubin, Montclair State University
Document Type
Book Chapter
Publication Date
3-22-2020
Abstract

Donald Trump’s rhetoric is markedly different than that of just about every other American president. Trump’s speeches on terrorism and his related Islamophobia and anti-immigrant rhetoric are examined in this chapter. Trump’s use of Twitter and view of the presidency as a “permanent campaign” keep his followers in a state of near-permanent mobilization. Trump uses the rhetoric of fear to push his followers against Muslims and immigrants by linking terrorism to both groups. As Jeffrey Tulis opines, Trump is America’s first demagogue. This chapter highlights how Trump’s demagoguery and novel method for communicating with his followers has framed the terror threat and, in turn, eroded American society. Trump’s view of the terrorist as “Other” has also created a large blind spot where domestic terrorism is concerned.

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-30167-5_4
Book Publisher
Palgrave Pivot, Cham
Journal ISSN / Book ISBN
978-3-030-30167-5
Published Citation
Rubin, Gabriel. "Donald Trump, Twitter, and Islamophobia: The End of Dignity in Presidential Rhetoric About Terrorism." In Presidential Rhetoric on Terrorism under Bush, Obama and Trump, pp. 105-128. Palgrave Pivot, Cham, 2020.
Citation Information
Gabriel Rubin. "Donald Trump, Twitter, and Islamophobia: The End of Dignity in Presidential Rhetoric about Terrorism" Presidential Rhetoric on Terrorism under Bush, Obama and Trump (2020)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/gabriel-rubin/14/