WHY DOES TRUMP KEEP REPEATING HIMSELF?
PROPAGANDA, THE BIG LIE, AND LESSONS FROM HISTORY
Donald Trump, a man who could probably trademark the phrase “Believe me,” has turned repetition into an art form—or perhaps a battering ram. Whether it’s “Make America Great Again,” “Fake News,” or some variation of “Witch Hunt,” Trump’s rhetorical strategy often feels like a broken record that’s been superglued to the turntable. But why does he do it? Is it simply a lack of vocabulary? A love for hearing his own voice? Or is there something more calculated at play? Spoiler alert: it’s the latter.
To understand Trump’s obsession with repeating himself, we need to take a little trip back in time to the dark days of the 1930s and 1940s. No, not to Trump’s childhood (though that would be fascinating), but to Nazi Germany. Yes, I know invoking the Nazis is a heavy comparison, but stick with me here—it’s not just about mustaches and bad ideas. It’s about propaganda and the infamous “big lie.”
The Big Lie: A Historical Primer
The “big lie” is a propaganda technique that Adolf Hitler outlined in *Mein Kampf*. The idea is simple yet horrifyingly effective: tell a lie so colossal that people can’t believe anyone would have the audacity to make it up. And then—here’s the kicker—repeat it over and over again until it becomes truth in the minds of your audience. The Nazis used this strategy to devastating effect. They blamed Jews for Germany’s woes, spread myths like the “stab-in-the-back” narrative about World War I, and justified horrifying acts of violence and persecution. The key was relentless repetition, turning lies into something that felt familiar, and therefore, believable.
Fast-forward to modern-day America, and Trump seems to have taken a page—or perhaps the whole chapter—from this playbook. Now, before you grab your pitchforks or MAGA hats, let me clarify: I’m not saying Trump is Hitler. But the parallels in rhetorical strategies are impossible to ignore.
Trump’s Master Class in Repetition
If there were a university for propaganda (Propaganda U?), Donald Trump would be the tenured professor teaching “Repetition 101: How to Say the Same Thing 1,000 Times Without Blinking.” And his cabinet members—folks like Pete Hegseth, Stephen Miller, Kristi Noem, Robert F Kennedy Jr., and Pam Bondi—would be his star pupils. Together, they’ve turned the big lie into a team sport.
Take, for example, Trump’s claim that the 2020 election was stolen. Despite being debunked by courts, election officials, and even members of his own party, Trump has repeated this lie so often that it’s become gospel for millions of Americans. His allies echo the claim in interviews, congressional hearings, and rallies, creating an echo chamber where the lie bounces around like a pinball until it feels like fact.
And it’s not just about elections. From “Mexico will pay for the wall” to “I’ve done more for African Americans than any president since Lincoln,” Trump has mastered the art of saying something so often that people either believe it or grow too tired to argue.
Why Repetition Works (Even When It Shouldn’t)
So why does this strategy work? Are we as a society just gullible? Well, kind of—but it’s more complicated than that. Psychologists call it the “illusion of truth” effect. Essentially, our brains are lazy (sorry, brains), and they use shortcuts to make decisions quickly. One of those shortcuts is familiarity. If we hear something repeatedly, our brains start to think, “Hey, I’ve heard this before—it must be true!” It doesn’t matter if we know better; familiarity has a sneaky way of overriding facts.
This is why repetition is such a powerful tool in propaganda. It bypasses critical thinking and goes straight for our emotional jugulars. And let’s face it: humans are suckers for emotions. Fear, anger, pride—these are the levers that propagandists pull to get us on board with their message.
The Nazi Playbook vs. Trump’s Twitter Feed
The similarities between Nazi propaganda and Trump’s rhetoric are almost surreal. Like the Nazis, Trump and his allies often portray themselves as victims—whether it’s Trump being persecuted by the “deep state” or America being under siege by immigrants, China, or wind turbines (seriously, what does he have against wind turbines?). This victim narrative serves two purposes: it rallies supporters around a common enemy and justifies otherwise indefensible actions.
Another parallel is the use of scapegoats. For the Nazis, it was Jews and Communists. For Trump, it’s immigrants, Democrats, and anyone who disagrees with him. By blaming these groups for America’s problems, he creates a simple narrative that’s easy to digest—even if it’s completely false.
And then there’s the control of information. While Trump doesn’t have a Ministry of Propaganda like Joseph Goebbels did (though one suspects he’d love one), he has something arguably more powerful: social media. Platforms like Twitter (before his ban) and Truth Social allow him to bypass traditional media and speak directly to his followers, unfiltered and unchallenged. Add in friendly outlets like Fox News and you’ve got a modern-day propaganda machine.
How to Resist the Big Lie
So what can we do about all this? How do we resist the seductive pull of repetition and the illusion of truth? First off, we need to be aware of how these tactics work. Understanding that repetition can make lies feel true is half the battle.
Second, we need to fact-check relentlessly—and not just once. Remember, repetition is what makes lies stick, so we need to counter them with repeated truths. Think of it as fighting fire with fire (but less flammable).
Finally, we need to hold media outlets accountable. When they amplify false claims without pushback or context, they’re essentially doing the propagandist’s job for them.
A Final Thought: The Power of Words
At the end of the day, words matter. They shape how we see the world and how we act within it. Leaders who use repetition to spread lies wield incredible power—power that can divide nations, incite violence, and erode democracy.
So yes, Trump keeps repeating himself. And yes, it’s annoying as hell. But it’s also dangerous. Because as history has shown us, when lies are repeated often enough, they stop being lies in the minds of those who hear them—and that’s when the real damage begins.
As witty as I’d like to remain here, let me leave you with this sobering thought: if we don’t learn from history—if we don’t recognize propaganda when we see it—we risk repeating it ourselves. And trust me, no amount of repetition will make that a good thing.
Big Education Ape: WE DON'T DO KINGS: NATIONWIDE PROTESTS TO RAIN ON TRUMP'S $45M BIRTHDAY MILITARY PARADE #NoKingsDay #DefendDemocracy #AmericaStrong https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2025/05/we-dont-do-kings-nationwide-protests-to.html
