Are You Being Manipulated?
This letter to the editor, by John Krizek, appeared in the Hudson Star Observer on December 18, 2025.
President Donald Trump’s constant attacks on former President Joe Biden serve clear political and psychological purposes. By blaming Biden for nearly everything, Trump creates a simple villain, shifts responsibility for problems and keeps his base focused on partisan identity rather than his own record. His rhetoric isn’t “Biden Derangement Syndrome”— it’s a calculated strategy to manipulate public perception.
Making Biden the universal scapegoat gives Trump a readymade narrative: anything going wrong now is Biden’s fault, and anything going right must be thanks to Trump — even when timelines don’t match. Polls have shown that many voters did hold Biden responsible for inflation and economic hardship, so Trump keeps linking current frustrations — high prices, crime, foreign conflicts — to “Biden’s failures” to reinforce that association.
When facing criticism on issues like the economy, foreign policy, tariffs or national security, Trump claims the real cause lies in Biden’s past actions or inaction. This tactic allows him to dodge responsibility for his administration’s missteps by portraying them as lingering problems from a previous administration that only Trump can fix.
Trump’s political style thrives on personal enemies and grievances. Casting Biden as the central villain keeps his supporters emotionally engaged and turns politics into a fight against “Biden’s America,” not a judgment on Trump’s own performance. Constantly repeating Biden’s name and tying it to negativity reinforces loyalty and strengthens partisan identity — valuable tools for fundraising and media attention, even when conditions worsen.
Many major issues — global inflation, wars, migration, infrastructure failures — have complex, shared causes. But blaming Biden provides Trump a convenient, one-sentence answer that fits rallies and TV clips better than serious explanations. That simplification is deliberate: it converts real governing challenges into messaging opportunities by assigning blame to a single antagonist, instead of addressing bipartisan or personal responsibility.
Use critical thinking when listening to Trump. Remember, his “Truth Social” platform is neither truth nor social.