This presidency has introduced many new words to our cultural lexicon | In Focus
Published 11:00 am Wednesday, April 22, 2026
When it comes to President Trump, all of us can agree that he has wrought many changes to the world, the nation, and to each of us as individuals.
One of these areas is our cultural vocabulary that we didn’t use before he entered our consciousness a decade ago.
Narcissism is a personality trait that is characterized by grandiosity and a deep-seated belief of being superior and special. Narcissists exhibit an excessive need to be admired, while at the same time lacking empathy. Individuals with high levels of narcissism often exhibit arrogance and entitlement. The President holds these characteristics and projects these attitudes upon the nation.
Gaslighting is when someone makes you question your own reality, memory, or perceptions. When you are being gaslighted, you are told not to believe “your lying eyes”.
Fake news has often appeared in the media as any information that disagrees with what the President says or does, even, ironically, if the statement actually originates from a cabinet secretary like Pete Hegseth.
Word salad began with President Biden’s speeches, but now is being used more and more frequently in reference to Trump’s speeches. The words don’t make sense.
Deflection is commonly used to change the subject when difficult or damaging topics arise like the Epstein files.
Projection occurs when the President and the Speaker of the House accuse Democrats of doing what the Republicans have actually been doing: Remember Hillary Clinton being accused of having a ring of pedophiles in a Washington D.C. pizza parlor basement. Then consider the Epstein files with its pedophiles.
The Epstein Files are frequently in the news. Both houses of Congress passed a law called the Epstein Transparency Act. Millions of files have been released, and millions more are awaiting release. Words like the wealthy elite is contrasted with Epstein survivors. Redacted and unredacted files have become watchwords.
Being thrown under the bus is a commonly used phrase referring to U.S. cabinet secretaries like Noem and Bondi being fired. They become the sacrificial lambs (or wolves) used to divert attention away from the President.
Meme is most commonly used to refer to humorous images, videos, or texts that go viral online. Pictures of the President as a Jesus figure healing a sick man is a recent example.
Affordability refers to the current concern with the economy. Democrats use this word to emphasize rising interest rates brought about by the President’s decisions regarding tariffs, and the rising costs of fuel and groceries due to the Iran War. Democrats often contrast the 2024 election promises made by Trump with the reality of rising costs.
Legacy media refer to the major traditional news networks like ABC, CBS, and NBC which have favored giving equal time to both political parties, but are often silent about Republican attempts to rig the 2026 election using gerrymandering, mid-decade redistricting, and DOJ lawsuits demanding confidential voting information from the states. Legacy media is being bought up by billionaires like Bezos, the Ellisons, and the Murdochs who are loyal to Trump. Independent media are YouTube videos that present an anti-administration perspective which contradict falsehoods promulgated by the White House.
Whole new terms are coming out of foreign affairs: drone warfare, suicide drones, regime change, and ”double tap”, a military term that means hitting a target like a boat in the Caribbean that has been hit twice by exploding drones to ensure no survivors.
Obliterated was used when Iran’s nuclear facilities were bombed in July 2025. Yet, in February the U.S. attacked Iran again to finish the job.
Threats of invading Greenland, Panama, and Canada (being called the 51st State) are frequently found in the news media. The Monroe Doctrine and its opposite twin—the Donroe Doctrine” are used to describe the reasons for military actions in the Caribbean.
Cost/benefit calculations are being made based upon the cost of a drone versus the cost of expensive missiles like the Tomahawks used to destroy them. War of choice is used to describe Israel’s and the U.S.’s attacks on Iran. Closing or opening the Strait of Hormuz is noted on a near daily basis. Brent crude refers to the world cost/barrel of petroleum depending on the Israel/US/Iran War.
If you have been reading the news, these words are familiar to you. These terms have either been created by Trump or created because of Trump. The list could continue.
Let me conclude with the word that really bothers me: it’s when people say perfect when something is done correctly.
The problem is that we are not witnessing perfection. We are witnessing chaos.
