Former President Donald Trump is widely recognized for his impulsive and frequent social media activity, particularly on his platform Truth Social. His posts often feature midnight rants, share AI-generated content, and include lengthy threats against individuals who have displeased him. However, in recent months, a select number of his posts have concluded with a strikingly formal phrase: "Thank you for your attention to this matter."
A Departure from Typical Language
Claire Robertson, an assistant professor of psychology at Colby College in Maine who specializes in political polarization and extremism, noted that this phrase stands out. "It's really different than how he typically posts," Robertson said. She explained that Trump usually employs morally and emotionally charged words like "hoax" and "corrupt" in his posts, which are designed to quickly capture attention and drive engagement.
"He's still using a lot of the kind of moral-emotional language that we know attracts attention," Robertson added, referring to Trump's overall social media strategy. She pointed out that negative and moral-emotional language tends to generate clicks and shares in a "really polarized way," often circulating within political groups rather than between them. These posts aim to provoke strong reactions and are frequently shared with like-minded individuals who will become equally agitated.
"But, 'thank you for your attention to this matter' is not negative or moral, so it's especially interesting," Robertson said. "It doesn't play super nicely with some of the established findings. It's just weirdly formal."
Asserting Control and Authority
Experts suggest that this phrase, and Trump's use of it, offers insights into his communication style and desire for control. "Thank you for your attention to this matter" is a phrase that asserts control of a situation and its messaging, according to analysis.
Shenikka Moore-Clarke, a holistic psychotherapist, elaborated on this point. "From a clinical standpoint, the repeated use of the phrase 'thank you for your attention to this matter' may read as more than formality. It carries undertones of control and authority," she said.
Robertson supported this view, noting Trump's known tendency to seek control in various interactions, such as his forceful handshakes that can knock people off balance. "We know Trump is very conscious of wanting to be in control of a situation," she said.
Power Dynamics and Image Management
Moore-Clarke explained that such language can create expectations for how people should engage with social media posts. "Language often becomes a way to manage image and power and to position themselves as the one who sets the terms of engagement," she said. This establishes a power dynamic that dictates "how people should relate to" what the poster is saying.
Robertson added that the phrase is also presumptive, assuming that everyone is giving their attention to the matter at hand. "It's [subtle] but can be read as being controlling," Moore-Clarke noted, emphasizing that it leaves little room for questioning the poster's statements.
Despite including the words "thank you," experts question the genuineness of the expression. "It's less about gratitude and more about command," Moore-Clarke said. "And it's a way of asserting control, implying that readers should comply or take note."
Strategic Use and Seriousness
The posts ending with this formal phrase stand apart from others in Trump's social media feed, according to Moore-Clarke. "It ... comes off as 'this is something important that you need to pay attention to,' so it [kind of] draws you in," she explained. In essence, Trump is signaling that the content is significant and should be regarded as such by his followers.
"I get [the] sense that it's strategic and it makes his followers trust him more as a source of power, even if what he had to say is not true or harmful to certain groups," Moore-Clarke added.
Micro-Cultures and Cues
Robertson introduced the concept of "micro-cultures" in language, where specific phrases carry unique meanings within certain communities. For example, a local group might refer to a restaurant as "the corner spot" instead of its actual name. In Trump's case, followers who engage with his social media regularly might interpret posts ending with "thank you for your attention to this matter" as more serious or policy-relevant.
This formal closing is not typically used with memes criticizing other politicians or promotional content, such as calls to buy his son's book. Instead, it appears in posts where Trump announces actions or issues directives, like naming Casey Means as surgeon general or urging Democrats to "open the government."
Intentional or Unintentional?
Whether Trump's use of this phrase is deliberate or subconscious remains unclear. "We use linguistic cues all the time when we aren't even realizing it," Robertson said, drawing a parallel to how people might use specific nicknames for their partners only when angry. This could be a similar unconscious pattern in Trump's communication.
At the very least, Robertson pointed out that Trump does not frequently use "thank you" in his posts, making this new social media closing particularly fascinating. The phrase's formal nature contrasts sharply with his usual style, highlighting a nuanced aspect of his online persona.
