Donald Trump defends ‘rambling’ in speeches, claims he uses the ‘weaving’ technique

When President Joe Biden was in the running for a second term, questions about his age concerned many Democrats and their supporters. After his decision to step down, Democratic supporters found some relief, and Kamala Harris took over the reins of their party. Compared to Biden, Democrats got a much-needed boost after Harris’ entry, with even election Nostradamus predicting she would be the next president.

On the other hand, Donald Trump found himself at the center of a new predicament. With Biden in the picture, his age was not questioned as much. However, with Harris now involved, more questions have been raised about Trump’s cognitive health. Some clinical psychologists have also identified potential signs of cognitive decline.

Donald Trump's rambling speeches

Amidst this, Trump’s habit of jumping from one topic to another while discussing significant issues has led to widespread criticism. According to The Independent, his speeches have become known for their rambling nature, especially during his more recent public appearances.

A review by The New York Times reported that over the years, Trump’s speeches have grown significantly longer and more disjointed. For example, in 2016, his rally speeches averaged around 45 minutes, but by 2024, they were closer to 82 minutes. These speeches often include a mix of unrelated topics, sudden tangents, and frequent revisiting of past grievances, which many find difficult to follow.

Some examples of his ‘rambling speeches’ are:

September 2024 rally in Iowa

During this speech, Trump shifted unpredictably from attacking his political opponents to reminiscing about figures like Johnny Carson, who died in 2005, and the fictional character Hannibal Lecter.

10 September debate with Kamala Harris

Trump mentioned an audience that didn’t exist and suggested North Korea was plotting an assassination against him, although he likely meant Iran. These odd tangents highlighted his struggle to stay on topic.

Wisconsin Town Hall, 2024

During a Town Hall in Wisconsin, Trump was asked about lowering inflation and making life more affordable. Once again, he used the moment to ‘ramble’ and went on to criticize green energy, reports The Guardian.

Donald Trump defends his ‘rambling speeches’

However, Donald Trump asserts that what critics describe as ‘rambling’ is actually part of his rhetorical genius, which he calls ‘the weave’ or ‘weaving’. Trump believes this approach helps him discuss multiple topics at once while still managing to bring them back together to the main topic.

He even claimed that his English professor friends have praised it, saying it’s ‘it's the most brilliant thing ever’ and added:

I do the weave. You know what the weave is? I’ll talk about, like, nine different things that they all come back brilliantly together.

But the fake news, you know what they say, ‘He rambled.’ It’s not rambling. What you do is you get off a subject to mention another little titbit, then you get back on to the subject, and you go through this and you do it for two hours, and you don’t even mispronounce one word.

During his appearance on Andrew Schulz's Flagrant podcast in October 2024, Trump addressed the issue again and said he ‘weaves’ through his speeches regardless of what the media calls it.

Weaving, in a speaking context, refers to the practice of discussing multiple topics that seem unrelated but gradually linking them back together into a coherent narrative.

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Sources used:

The Independent: Trump’s rambling and angry speeches raise questions about his age and fitness to serve four years

The New York Times: Trump’s Speeches, Increasingly Angry and Rambling, Reignite the Question of Age

The Guardian: Trump rebrands his ramblings as ‘I do the weave’ – but is he just losing it?

YouTube: September 2024 rally in Iowa, 10 September debate with Kamala Harris, Wisconsin Town Hall, 2024, Donald Trump on his speaking style: 'The Weave', Trump on Flagrant Podcast