how social media used by politicians? 2016

How is social media used by politicians?

A content analysis of how Donald Trump uses Twitter to engage voters

leading up to the 2016 "Super Tuesday" primary.

Rachel Balsley

COMM 744: Strategic Communication Capstone

Dr. Anya Karavanov

Spring 2016

Trump’s Political Social Media Use 2

Table of Contents Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................................... 3

Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 4

Literature Review ........................................................................................................................................ 6

Applying Strategic Issues Management & Agenda Setting Theories ............................................... 6

Use of Social Media by Politicians ................................................................................................... 7

Political Engagement via Social Media ............................................................................................ 9

Applied Research Approach ...................................................................................................................... 13

Materials Examined ...................................................................................................................... 13

Applied Research Approach .......................................................................................................... 13

Case Profile ................................................................................................................................................ 16

Analysis & Discussion ................................................................................................................................ 21

Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................. 24

References ................................................................................................................................................. 26


Executive Summary

Politics and media are both fields that are constantly in a state of flux, growth and change. They

are often also often coupled together as politicians use communication tools to reach the general public

and potential voters. This content analysis examines how politicians such as Donald Trump are using

social media sites like Twitter to reach voters in the 2016 presidential race. Tweets from Trump’s Twitter

page between February 1, 2016 and March 1, 2016 were collected and coded for both content and tone,

while tracking their respective likes and retweets. The categories were carefully chosen specifically for

politicians.

From the coding results, it is clear that Trump is using Twitter for as a form of political

communication as a part of his overall campaign strategy to set his agenda. Both strategic issues

management and agenda setting theories were also evaluated in relation to the tweets. From the 244

tweets posted in the time frame, a majority were used for self/campaign promotion while the second

most common tweet type was regarding Trump’s opponents. Trump often used Twitter to discredit his

opponents, leaving him as a viable alternative. A majority of the tweets had a positive tone, though

some were offensive and defensive. This analysis answers the research question and determines Trump

is using social media to reach voters and leverage his campaign strategy and agenda.


Introduction

Donald Trump has been called many things: businessman, public figure, real estate mogul,

reality star, celebrity. Starting off as a controversial developer, his boisterous personality and

abrasiveness carried into other aspects of life, leading to a career as a reality television host on “The

Celebrity Apprentice” (Biography Editors). Now a major public figure with well-known hotels and

developments across the nation, Trump has become a household name. But in June 2015, he added a

new feather in his cap: presidential candidate (DelReal, 2016).

Donald Trump announced his candidacy for president and took the nation by storm in a few

short months. Cornwell (2016) describes his campaign as “performing a vital, long overdue service by

ripping down a party establishment that has utterly lost touch with the voters it purports to represent

and parroted conservative orthodoxies that manifestly have failed to work.” Not a conventional

politician, Trump offers voters a new kind of candidate who has made a political name for himself by

speaking his mind and never backing down. Though sometimes offensive, Trump has built a strong

following during his candidacy and could be the republican nomination in the 2016 presidential race

(Cornwell, 2016).

Mass media and communication channels have consistently been paired with politics and

mobilizing voters to participate at the polls, from Franklin D. Roosevelt utilizing radio and Ronald Reagan

and John F. Kennedy mastering television to position their personalities to win voters (Denton, 1988, p.

xi; Baum & Kernell, 1999, p. 99). When Barack Obama ran for president in 2008, he elevated the political

field by using the Internet and some social media to win the election and then again in 2012 (Todd,

Gawiser, Arumi & Witt, 2009). Today, society is heavily technology-driven, creating an online

environment for communication and discussion. Social media is just one of the ways people can connect

online, share opinions, and influence real change. Trump and politicians before him have used social

media as a way to reach young voters in the millennial generation and mobilize them to vote.


Today, social media is a tool essential for businesses and individuals and its use is very

widespread (Folger, 2013). For this reason, social media is a strategic tool for politicians and has aided

Trump in his quest for the oval office. Social media use gives politicians unlimited access to the general

public, allowing them to bypass the media and reach potential voters. This leaves the door open for

politicians and public figures to craft strategic messages on Twitter, a micro-blogging site. The premise

of this content analysis is to define how politicians such as Donald Trump are using social media sites like

Twitter and how it helps them in the long run.

With 64 percent of Americans reporting that they feel they are on the losing side of politics and

only 25 percent report that their party wins “on the issues that matter,” American voters feel

disconnected and unsatisfied with their political parties (“In politics, most Americans feel they’re on the

losing side,” 2015). As discussed by Hendricks and Kaid (2011), online mediums contribute to increase

better overall knowledge of a politics and current events, which therefore raises awareness (p. 23). With

increased awareness comes more civic participation, which benefits politicians like Trump whom

represents a new face of American elections (Gil de Zúñiga, Jung & Valenzuela, 2012).

This paper will use content analysis to examine Trump’s Twitter page from February 1, 2016

through the “Super Tuesday” primary caucus on March 1, 2016. To this end, a literature review has been

conducted to establish the relevancy of social media as a form of political communication and medium

to reach voters. An applied research approach section provides background on how the analysis was

performed and lays the groundwork for the case profile, which demonstrates how Trump has used

Twitter. Finally, the analysis and discussion determines how Trump has been using Twitter and how

effective it has been as a form of political communication, using both strategic issues management and

agenda setting theories as a foundation for political communication and assist in assessing the overall

strategy in his campaign.


Literature Review

I: Applying Strategic Issues Management & Agenda Setting Theories

In politics, both strategic issues management (SIM) and agenda setting are often present as

tools for campaigning, helping politicians develop strategy and win over voters. SIM mitigates possible

problems while focusing on long-term goals, preparing for change and creating opportunities (Heath &

Palenchar, 2008). SIM, especially in the public policy and economic arenas, is a tool for communicators

that allow them to manage outreach to voters and the general public (Heath & Palenchar, 2008).

Politicians utilize strategic issues management through social media to inform the public of their stance

on certain issues. This theory defines a definite strategy verses random communication in an overly

cluttered digital landscape. With the use of this strategy, candidates can communicate with voters

through social media to manage various issues.

Similarly, most politicians use agenda setting because that is essentially the point of an election.

According to McCombs, Shaw and Weaver (1997), agenda setting “examines how media coverage

affects both what the public thinks about and how the public thinks about it” and how the media can

influence public opinion (p. 3). A candidate for president intentionally sets the agenda for his or her time

in office if elected. They can do this through traditional media, online mediums, and now social media.

Politicians choose sides on specific societal issues and concentrate on them and what they will stand for

if elected. Social media allows politicians to set their own agendas, bypassing the media, and getting

their message directly to voters. By sidestepping the media and possible media framing, politicians have

complete control of their message, which is often further disseminated through the media, as the

outlets sometimes report what politicians post on their page (Phillips, 2015).


II: Use of Social Media by Politicians

To understand the current political campaign climate, it is important to take note of how

elections began and the role media has played throughout its history. Political communication evolved

from radio to television and finally online, creating new avenues for politicians to reach potential voters.

Today, the Internet and social media, combined with traditional media, play a significant role in political

process, especially during elections (Winograd & Hais, 2008). Barack Obama and his opponents were the

first presidential candidate to harness the power of these new mediums for the 2008 presidential

campaign (Williams, 2008). Williams (2008) points out that there was a significant jump in online

activism between 2006 and 2008, while there was “a record-breaking” 46 percent of American adults

self-reporting that they used Internet, email, or text messaging to get news about the campaign, share

their opinions, or even influence others to join their side. Internet was a new avenue for not only

candidates to showcase themselves and their policies, but for voters to get involved directly. Voters

could easily mobilize their peers through online information sharing, help recruit new voters and drive

traffic on election day. These online methods were extremely useful to President Obama, a former

senator who seemed to come out of nowhere and actually win (Williams, 2008).

Prior to his win, President Obama was among the first politicians to use social media in a

national election and opened the door for the practice to become normal and essential. Robertson,

Vatrapu, and Medina (2010) conducted an in-depth examination of presidential candidates Obama,

Clinton, and John McCain Facebook walls and what individual users wrote. The study produced

interesting results, concluding that President Obama had significantly higher engagement than his

counterparts (Robertson, Vatrapu & Medina, 2010). It is clear from this study that the level of

followership significantly increased engagement, which in turn helped to secure the win. On social

networking sites, there is a big difference in just posting updates and having people actually engage with

you (Robertson, Vatrapu & Medina, 2010). President Obama succeeded in creating an online forum for


political discussion and fostering a place where his followers and potential voters could discuss his

policies and why he should be president.

In addition to Robertson, Vatrapu, and Medina’s study, Todd, Gawiser, Arumi and Witt (2009)

gave an incisive look at multiple facets of the 2008 presidential campaign. When combined together, the

two documents fully encompass the strategy behind the groundbreaking win. Todd, Gawiser, Arumi and

Witt (2009) explain that President Obama not only used new media as described in the Facebook study,

but he utilized traditional campaign outlets for strategic alignment of his messaging (Todd, Gawiser,

Arumi & Witt, 2009). For example, President Obama made a formal “Why I’m Running” speech in his

hometown, while his democratic opponent Clinton forgoed the same speech (Todd, Gawiser, Arumi &

Witt, 2009). This combination of traditional and new media positioned him to be the “Internet

president” and win the election. While online media now rules the day and continues to transform itself,

“old” media and political traditions cannot be ruled out as important tools.

As political communication picked up speed after 2008, it was clear this medium held weight in

candidates’ campaigns. In their study, Hong and Nadler (2012) detail the effectiveness of social media

and other new communication methods through tests on candidate salience and engagement. They

focused on Twitter specifically, outlining how the candidates used the platform and the effects that had

on the election. Hong and Nadler (2012) found that the more a politician is mentioned in traditional

media, the more mentions they obtained on Twitter. This further supports Todd, Gawiser, Arumi and

Witt’s (2009) findings that social media is used for news, communication, and engagement, but people

still use traditional media for information as well. It also shows that the there is a connection between

news and social media use, and if one can harness that power, they can be drive their own online

activity. Social media is a platform for communication, but is now also a powerful tool that organizations

and politicians started to utilize between 2008-2012. Today, the tool is a campaign essential and an

important part of a candidate’s political agenda.


III. Political Engagement via Social Media

Social media has the ability to help politicians by raising awareness of their campaigns and

establishing a platform for dialogue (Todd, Gawiser, Arumi & Witt, 2009). While these online networks

are prime communication tools, the real power of social media to encourage civic participation and

predict election outcome has also been studied and proven influential. Gil de Zúñiga, Jung, and

Valenzuela (2012) examined the correlation between civic engagement after use of social media for

news. The study used a variety of survey variables to answer four hypotheses, which were all found

supported by the data. Specifically related to civic engagement, they found that, “The more people used

[social networking sites] for news, the more they engaged in civic activities to cope with community

issues” (Gil de Zúñiga, Jung & Valenzuela, 2012 p. 325). If a user was introduced to news online, they

were more informed and more inclined to participate offline. This is essential to politicians because in

the end, participating offline in the form of voting is much more important than sharing updates online.

In addition to promoting offline civic engagement, social media also may have the ability to

predict the actual outcome of an election. A study by Tumasjan, Sprenger, Sandner & Welpe (2010)

examined several key ideas such as Twitter as a reflection of political sentiment and whether Twitter

could predict the results of the election, which demonstrates that the number of mentions the party

received matched very closely with the results of the election polls (Tumasjan, Sprenger, Sandner &

Welpe, 2010). Social media is so widely used that it represents the thoughts and views of much of the

country, and is serves as a large sample size, even without a formal survey. In the case of the 2009

German election, the Twitter mentions equated to the election poll outcomes.

Both of these studies provide context and precedent that the use of social media in elections

could increase civic engagement overall and even predict the outcome. This further supports the power

of social media when used in politics. Social media is more than just a medium in which you can

communicate with others, but it also spreads news, which in turn increases civic participation. In the


right situation, it also has the ability to predict the outcomes of the elections. Social media has grown

from just an online communication to a useful tool in many facets of life.

Winograd and Hais (2008) describe 2008 as the first time candidates were “willing” to use social

media, but it ultimately opened the door to voters and even to volunteers and donors. The power of

social media was a key resource for President Obama and his opponents to drive their messages and

fund their campaigns. Social media allows for direct communication to a mix of demographics, a large

portion of them being young voters. Winograd and Hais (2008) also point out the purpose voters have

for using social media in relation to politics: awareness of candidates’ policies and deciding who to vote

for. Social media is an ideal medium for spreading awareness because you have the ability to craft mini-

messages and disseminate them to mass amounts of people over multiple platforms. Candidates get to

choose what they say, when they say it, and how it is said, and then allow their supports to spread the

word. Social media eliminates this barrier and gives all of the power to the politician. They can use social

media when they want, how they want, and as frequently as they want.

According to a Pew Research Center study, 33 percent of voters used the Internet to get news

on the election, a drastic increase from only 10 percent in 2004 (“Winning the Media Campaign,” 2008).

Now that there was an online population worth fighting for, the political gloves came off and the

politicians came out swinging. Social media is now a major playing ground for digital interaction and

political campaigning. Candidates are racing to utilize new media, gain more followers, and capture the

voting power of new generations.

To understand the usefulness of social media in the political process, it is important to

understand what messages work best on which network and what audience to connect on which

platform. Van Dijck (2013) described that media has become a “part of everyday social practices,” and

evolves as the public does (p. 5). As illustrated in a 2014 survey, Facebook remained the most popular

social media platform with 71 percent of adults using it (Duggan & Ellison, 2015). The survey also


showed the results for LinkedIn (28 percent), Pinterest (28 percent), Instagram (26 percent) and Twitter

(23 percent) (Duggan & Ellison, 2015). Most of the sites showed a significant increase from usage in

2013, as did multi-platform usage, which notes 52 percent of adults use two or more sites, a 10 percent

jump from 2013 (Duggan & Ellison, 2015). The results demonstrated in the survey show the power of

social media and shed light on which mediums are most popular and by which age group.

Facebook continues to be the most popular and widely used medium. Though usage between

2013 and 2014 did not grow, daily use of the staple social network is a staggering 70 percent,

considerably higher than all of the other platforms, with 56 percent of adults 65 and older using the site

as well (Duggan & Ellison, 2015). Therefore, Facebook is the go-to social media site for adults of all ages,

companies, and public figures. While Facebook leads in activity and engagement, Instagram and Twitter

are rising as must-haves in the social media world. Instagram, used primarily for pictures and short

videos, has grown slowly but steadily since launching in 2010. In 2014, more than half of adults 18-29

used Instagram, half of which on a daily basis (Duggan & Ellison, 2015).

Twitter, a micro-blogging site that focuses mainly on short spurts of text, is popular among

millennials and businesses, offering an easy and concise way to send out updates and messages. Though

Twitter saw a decrease in daily use from 2013 to 2014 according to the Duggan and Ellison (2015)

survey, it is still heavily used daily and growing today. The micro-blogging site has a heavy “me” appeal,

letting users update the world with news about them, share their views on current events, and gather

information for their use.

Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are unique and powerful in that they can reach a large range

of people instantly online. Millennials are key users of all three platforms, while other adults utilize

Facebook for their social media needs, commenting, and sharing his posts to further disseminate his

messaging. Instagram attracts a huge millennial crowd and allows users to see his messages visually,

which is growing in popularity as well. Twitter presents a short and sweet approach to communicating


online. This medium allows page owners to share his thoughts and accomplishments very quickly and

broadly, building an online repertoire with a few short tweets. As demonstrated in a study on engaging

Facebook users, researchers discovered that organizations used the social networking site to post

original content as well as links to external news and did not utilize all the tools available to them

(Waters, Burnett, Lamm & Lucas, 2009).

Twitter has been established as a possible platform for political communication. The following

content analysis will determine how politicians such as Donald Trump are using Twitter to engage

potential voters leading up to the “Super Tuesday” primary on March 1, 2016.


Applied Research Approach

This paper will use content analysis to examine Donald Trump’s Twitter page. Content analysis is

a “systematic reading of a body of texts, images, and symbolic matter” and “a research technique for

making replicable and valid inferences from texts” as defined by Krippendorff (2012) (p. 10). Content

analyses are an important form of research as it allows the researcher to use outside data to explore

communication as it happens and over a broad range of topics.

Materials Examined

For the purpose of this study, this paper examines tweets posted on Donald Trump’s official

Twitter page, @realDonaldTrump (2016), between February 1, 2016 through the Super Tuesday caucus

on March 1, 2016 were collected through an advanced search. Each of the 244 tweets’ success (number

of favorites and retweets) was logged and placed in to a predetermined category. Each tweet was

labeled with at least one type category and tone, as described below. Following the coding process, the

collection of tweets was examined through the lens of strategic issues management and agenda setting

to identify Trump’s strategy and what agenda he is trying to set, if any.

Applied Research Instrument

For the purposes of this analysis, a coding schema was developed. As described by Krippendorff

(2012), “coding is the term content analysts use when [the observation] process is carried out according

to overseer-independent rules” (p. 127). Based on the literature review, both strategic issues

management (SIM) and agenda setting theories will be applied to the collection of tweets in order to

identify how Trump uses strategy to form and tell his story. Both theories are directly applicable to how

politicians like Trump use social media to mobilize voters. These theories provide a foundation for how

and why Trump tweets, what results he has seen and demonstrates the strategy and purpose behind

the campaign. When applying the theories to the data, it will be clear which types of tweets were more


impactful and contributed to his success. In accordance with SIM, the coder will look for language

regarding policy and responses to current events or media and opponent allegations. Through this, the

strategy used will also be determined. Agenda setting will be studied in the discussion section by noting

repetitive messaging and communication patterns. How Trump engages audiences beyond the tweet

using links, videos or pictures will also be taken into account.

The tweets were coded through categorization and their corresponding definitions in order to

understand how Trump is using Twitter. A single coder will record the tweets. The categories were

chosen uniquely to apply to politicians, only being relevant to how these public figures tweet. While not

replicable with these categories to other public figures, this method could be applied to other politicians

at multiple government levels. The following represents the categories that the tweets are coded into as

well as the criteria for why they were placed there.

Type Description Example

Self/Campaign Promotion

Regarding personal opinions that bolster the campaign

“It all begins today - WE WILL FINALLY TAKE OUR COUNTRY BACK AND MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"

Opponents/Other Politicians

Mentioning other politicians, political parties or opponents

“This was sent out from Ted Cruz- as Iowans arrived at their caucus sites to vote. #CruzFraud [Photos]”

Media Regarding media reports or media personnel

“Why does @megynkelly devote so much time on her shows to me, almost always negative? Without me her ratings would tank. Get a life Megyn!”

Voter Mobilization Directly encouraging individuals to vote or recapping primary results

“THANK YOU Arkansas! Get out & #VoteTrump on Tuesday. We will MAKE AMERICA SAFE & GREAT AGAIN! [Photo]”

Policy

Any statements about public policy that relates to potential presidency, such as foreign affairs, immigration, economy, social issues

“I will end illegal immigration and protect our borders! We need to MAKE AMERICA SAFE & GREAT AGAIN! #Trump2016 [Video]”

Campaign Spending/Funding

Ant tweets regarding campaign funding, personal or opponents

“I don't believe I have been given any credit by the voters for self-funding my campaign, the only one. I will keep doing, but not worth it!”

Personal Regarding family or topics not related to the campaign or opponents

Just for your info, tax returns have 0 to do w/ someone’s net worth. I have already filed my financial statements w/ FEC. They are great!


The coding will also include the tone of each tweet, as described below. At least one of the four

tone categories will be chosen for each tweet.

This study will also consider how successful each tweet was. For the purposes of this analysis, a

“successful” tweet is based on how many retweets and likes it receives, which increases the tweet’s

reach and overall effectiveness. The following statistics will be gathered and calculated: tweet with the

most and least retweets, average retweets, most and least likes, average likes, and average tweets a

day. These will be examined in relation to the content of the tweet and which category it falls under.

In the Analysis & Discussion section, the tweets will be examined as a whole to determine to what

end Trump has been using his Twitter account and what part it plays in his overall strategy. Strategic

issues management and agenda setting theories will also be incorporated into the findings to gauge the

strategy and possible overarching purpose.

Tone Description Example

Positive Upbeat/positive statements “It all begins today - WE WILL FINALLY TAKE OUR COUNTRY BACK AND MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"

Offensive Degrading or negative comments about someone/something

“Just out Nevada poll shows Jeb Bush at 1%, he should take his dumb mouthpiece, @LindseyGrahamSC, and just go home.”

Defensive Defending oneself/one’s campaign “Cruz just lied again- I am, and have been totally against #ObamaCare- repeal and replace!”

Provocative Thought provoking/challenging “He (or she) who hesitates is lost: MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”


Case Profile

Throughout his bid for president, Donald Trump has used social media to disseminate his

message, be it about his stance on policies or promotion for his campaign. With every tweet posted on

his page, Trump reaches his 7.57 million followers and garners thousands of likes, retweets, and replies

each day (@realDonaldTrump, 2016). Since announcing his candidacy for president in the 2016 election

in June 2015, Trump has used multiple forms of communication to reach voters, including a heavy

reliance on social media sites such as Twitter (Trump: Make America Great Again).

Between February 1, 2016 and March 1, 2016, Donald Trump posted 244 tweets on his Twitter

profile. These tweets were accessed through the advanced search function on Twitter found here. Each

tweet was recorded and coded in the aforementioned categories for both topic and tone. The results

can be found below and the full log is recorded in Appendix A.

The table below summarizes the findings in each type category, followed by an example for

each. A majority of the tweets were categorized as “self/campaign promotion” with 131, with the

second-most common type being “opponents/other politicians” with 96 tweets. Thirty-two tweets fell

into the “media,” 31 in “voter mobilization” categories, 27 under “policy,” 18 in “campaign

spending/funding,” and 13 “personal” tweets. Three of the top five most liked tweets were regarding

other politicians, President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, while the other two were self/campaign

promotion. The top five retweeted tweets included two from the self/campaign promotion community,

two opponents/other politicians and one media, that one being the overall most retweeted.

Type Total Tweets Percentage

Self/Campaign Promotion 131 53.6%

Opponents/Other Politicians 96 39.3%

Media 32 13.1%

Voter Mobilization 31 12.7%

Policy 27 11.1%

Campaign Spending/Funding 18 7.3%

Personal 13 5.3%

https://twitter.com/search?q=from%3ArealDonaldTrump%20since%3A2016-02-01%20until%3A2016-03-02&src=typd


Self/Campaign Promotion


Media

Voter Mobilization

Campaign Spending/Funding

Policy


Personal

The next table demonstrates the results in the tone categories with an example of each. More

than 50 percent (127) of the tweets has a positive tone. There were 61 offensive tweets, 38 defensive,

and 33 provocative. The most retweeted tweet had a defensive tone, while three of the top five tweets

were positive, and one negative. The top two most liked tweets had positive tones, three of the top five

were offensive, and two defensive (two had two tones applied).

Positive

Offensive

Defensive

Provocative

Tone Total Tweets Percentage

Positive 127 52.0%

Offensive 61 25.0%

Defensive 38 15.6%

Provocative 33 13.5%


The table below is a recording of the tweets with the most retweets, likes and the averages

thereof with examples of each. A majority of the tweets fit into multiple categories, while about half of

the tweets had multiple tones applied. No tweet received less than 5,075 likes or 1,500 retweets. Eighty-

four (34 percent) of the tweets included a photo or link to outside content or both, including a lot of

connectivity to Trump’s other social network sites such as Facebook. The tweet with the most likes

included a photo.

Most Retweets

Least Retweets

Most Likes

Success Total

Most Retweets 25,502

Least Retweets 1,501

Average Retweets 4,251

Most Likes 31,433

Least Likes 5,075

Average Likes 11,410

Average Daily Tweets 8


Least Likes


Analysis & Discussion

Twitter is an ideal platform for a unique and unprecedented politician such as Trump due to its

short, ego-centric nature. According to a study performed by McKinney, Kelly and Duran (2012),

“narcissism is significantly related to using Twitter to send tweets about oneself” (p. 115). Trump uses

the site to broadcast his off the cuff and candid opinions, serving as a form of entertainment in addition

to political statement. For example, Trump attacked an opponent via Twitter saying, “Based on the fraud

committed by Senator Ted Cruz during the Iowa Caucus, either a new election should take place or Cruz

results nullified” (Appendix A). This tweet is candid, honest and very direct, something most politicians

wouldn’t post lightly, but represents Trump’s style in the election. Some of Trump’s success can be

attributed to the communication channels he has used to reach potential voters and facilitate political

dialogue. Phillips (2015) describes Twitter as, “One of the most central tools to Trump's penny-pinching

campaign... The 69-year-old uses the tool like a digital native, more prolifically than any other

presidential candidate and arguably with much more skill.” Trump relies heavily on social media,

spending little on traditional advertising in comparison to his opponents.

As demonstrated in the Case Profile and Appendix A, Trump posts on Twitter daily (eight per

day, on average) about a range of topics and in multiple tones. This, combined with his celebrity and

high number of followers, enables Trump to reach millions of Twitter users each day. Based on the

content analysis results and in relation to the research question, Trump uses Twitter as a form of

political communication in order to reach potential voters, as 53.6 percent of Trump’s tweets were

self/campaign promotion, while the second most common tweet type was opponents/other politicians,

usually dissuading voters to choose them over him. For example, Trump tweeted, “How can @JebBush

beat Hillary Clinton- if he can't beat anyone else on the #GOPDebate stage with $150M? I am the only

one who can!” (Appendix A). Trump uses the medium to persuade voters and help set his agenda as a

competent, new kind of leader.


Based on the results and general makeup of the 244 tweets, elements of both SIM and agenda

setting are present in his activity. Trump tweets about a range of topics, mostly about campaign

promotion, his opponents and policy. He also often defends himself against opponents and news

stories, attacking them repeatedly on the same topic to drive home his point. For example, on February

3, Trump tweeted: “During primetime of the Iowa Caucus, Cruz put out a release that @RealBenCarson

was quitting the race, and to caucus (or vote) for Cruz” (Appendix A). He tweeted 10 times about that

topic alone that day, continuing to put down Cruz’ alleged actions, all the while making him look good.

His strategy could be to combine self-promotion, media defense and discrediting opponents to bolster

his own campaign.

Thirty-nine percent of the time, Trump tweets about his opponents. Combined with an often

times offensive or provocative tone, Trump tries to discredit their validity with voters, reinforcing his

own agenda. Trump uses Twitter to combat other things in the news or remind voters that his

opponents are not worthy, especially when they do well in the polls. Trump sometimes uses tweets to

either discredit or distract voters from his opponents, to “slam them over and over again” (Phillips,

2015). Phillips (2015) also notes how “Trump’s words on Twitter carry weight” and that “his attacks and

insults alone have been retweeted almost 1 million times.” His controversial statements, such as going

after Fox News reporters or Ted Cruz, gain him support because of their candid nature and sometimes

humorous tone.

A majority of Trump’s tweets are categorized as self/campaign promotion, where only about six

percent are personal and not related to the campaign. Twitter has clearly been utilized as a platform for

political communication and disseminating information about campaign rallies, what Trump stands for

and who not to vote for. Agenda setting is when the media transfers salience to audience members

(McCombs, Shaw and Weaver, 1997). By bypassing the media, Trump takes its place and becomes the


agenda setter, sharing his thoughts and beliefs and passing them to his followers. The agenda Trump

could be setting is that he is a new kind of politician that represents where politics should be going. As

noted by Phillips (2015), “Trump appears to be on his way to becoming the first major U.S. politician to

use [social media] in a way that truly shapes — not just amplifies — his message.” Trump embraces

every aspect of Twitter and uses the platform to engage voters, allowing them to help shape his

campaign.

While meaningful data was extracted, no conclusive results regarding any correlation between

Trump’s Twitter use and his overall success in the primary elections can be made thus far. While Twitter

is a tool in his arsenal, it is most likely not the sole contributor to any caucus wins. Trump’s Twitter is a

part of his larger, overall strategy that stretches across multiple platforms and beyond the Internet and

social networking. He uses other social media and outside sites to connect his campaign together across

multiple platforms, further solidifying his strategy and campaign effectiveness as it increases his reach

and garners increased engagement. Through this, he has created a powerhouse presidential campaign

that has him


Conclusion

Politicians have a long, rich history of using media outlets to reach voters, from radio to

television to social media. Presidential candidate Donald Trump and other politicians have the ability to

use online communication platforms to reach millions of users and social media followers to set their

own agendas and strategic messaging at all times of day. Politicians are no longer limited to

communicating through strictly traditional media. By bypassing media, politicians like Trump have a

constant, uncensored mic to speak through. Twitter and other social media networking sites have

proven to be useful tools in mitigating the digital landscape and engaging with potential voters.

The main goal of this content analysis was to determine how Trump is using Twitter, if it’s a part

of his overall strategy and if he uses it to set his agenda. The analysis was successful in answering each

of these questions and providing insight into his Twitter use. Analyses like this one are significant

because tools of mass communication impact how society gets information and news and make

decisions, such as who to vote for. From the 244 tweets collected between February 1, 2016 and March

1, 2016, the results of the content analysis determine Trump is using Twitter for political

communication. More than half the tweets were used for self or campaign promotion, while more than

a third were regarding his opponents, some of which to discredit their campaigns. A majority of the

tweets fit into multiple categories, while about half of the tweets had multiple tones applied, no tweet

receiving less than 5,075 likes or 1,500 retweets.

While a successful study, some limitations could have stunted the results. For example, there

was only one coder categorizing the tweets. Also, the sample frame was limited, only capturing a month

of the campaign rather than a longer sample size. A more robust outside media analysis would also

prove useful to better understand the how Trump is using the media. In order to determine causation as

to Trump’s overall political success, other communication platforms and campaign strategies would also


need to be examined. Just looking at Twitter cannot determine his level of success and how his

popularity has skyrocketed. Therefore, completing an all-inclusive analysis of different communication

mediums and Trump’s opponents would offer significant insight into his media use in the election.


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Tweet Date & Time Category Tone Retweets Likes

It all begins today - WE WILL FINALLY TAKE OUR

COUNTRY BACK AND MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!Feb 1, 8:25 AM

Self/campaign promotion, voter

mobilizationPositive 9,477 22,107

My experience in Iowa was a great one. I started out

with all of the experts saying I couldn't do well there

and ended up in 2nd place. Nice

Feb 2, 11:03 AM Self/campaign promotion Positive 5,647 20,854

Because I was told I could not do well in Iowa, I spent

very little there - a fraction of Cruz & Rubio. Came in a

strong second. Great honor

Feb 2, 11:14 AM

Self/campaign promotion,

Opponents/Other Politicians,

campaign spending/funding

Positive, defensive 4,358 15,180

The media has not covered my long-shot great finish

in Iowa fairly. Brought in record voters and got second

highest vote total in history!

Feb 2, 11:29 AM Media, Self/campaign promotion Defensive 3,940 12,662

I will be talking about my wonderful experience in

Iowa and the simultaneous unfair treatment by the

media-later in New Hampshire. Big crowd

Feb 2, 11:34 AM Media, Self/campaign promotion Positive 2,842 9,663

I don't believe I have been given any credit by the

voters for self-funding my campaign, the only one. I

will keep doing, but not worth it!

Feb 2, 11:39 AM Campaign spending/funding Defensive 4,359 16,098

"@93101Dianne @realDonaldTrump if you can do

that well in Iowa then I see you acing it in all other

significant states. Momentum is growing"

Feb 2, 2:25 PM Self/campaign promotion Positive 1,501 5,869

"@restorereality Iowa is meaningless...keep pushing

forward, run the table in NH SC NV and Super

Tuesday. America needs you! #TrumpTrain"


"@stephbewitching @realDonaldTrump All you haters

need to realize Trump got the second highest vote in

history. And he's never held office!"


Anybody who watched all of Ted Cruz's far too long,

rambling, overly flamboyant speech last nite would

say that was his Howard Dean moment!

Feb 2, 3:02 PM Opponents/Other PoliticiansOffensive,

provocative4,272 14,138

Appendix A


On my way to New Hampshire- expecting a big and

spirited crowd! #FITN #Trump2016

https://www.facebook.com/DonaldTrump/posts/101

56599412210725:0 [photo]

Feb 2, 5:23 PM Self/campaign promotion Posisitve 4,148 16,012

Great job on @donlemon tonight @kayleighmcenany

@cherijacobus begged us for a job. We said no and

she went hostile. A real dummy! @CNN

Feb 3, 12:12 AM Self/campaign promotion, mediaDefensive,

Offensive1,664 5,464

Ted Cruz didn't win Iowa, he stole it. That is why all of

the polls were so wrong and why he got far more

votes than anticipated. Bad!

Feb 3, 8:47 AM Opponents/Other Politicians Defensive 6,822 14,346

During primetime of the Iowa Caucus, Cruz put out a

release that @RealBenCarson was quitting the race,

and to caucus (or vote) for Cruz.

Feb 3, 8:56 AM Opponents/Other Politicians Provocative 3,500 7,248

Many people voted for Cruz over Carson because of

this Cruz fraud. Also, Cruz sent out a VOTER

VIOLATION certificate to thousands of voters.


The Voter Violation certificate gave poor marks to the

unsuspecting voter(grade of F) and told them to clear

it up by voting for Cruz. Fraud


And finally, Cruz strongly told thousands of

caucusgoers (voters) that Trump was strongly in favor

of ObamaCare and "choice" - a total lie!

Feb 3, 9:21 AM Opponents/Other Politicians, PolicyProvocative,

Defensive3,846 9,494

Based on the fraud committed by Senator Ted Cruz

during the Iowa Caucus, either a new election should

take place or Cruz results nullified.

Feb 3, 9:28 AM Opponents/Other PoliticiansProvocative,


I will be interviewed on @greta at 7:00 P.M. Enjoy!

@FoxNewsFeb 3, 2:09 PM Self/campaign promotion, media Positive 1,562 5,179

This was sent out from Ted Cruz- as Iowans arrived at

their caucus sites to vote. #CruzFraud [Photos]Feb 3, 2:20 PM Opponents/Other Politicians Provocative 6,437 10,455

The State of Iowa should disqualify Ted Cruz from the

most recent election on the basis that he cheated- a

total fraud!

Feb 3, 2:25 PM Opponents/Other Politicians Provocative 4,376 11,234

Cruz just lied again- I am, and have been totally

against #ObamaCare- repeal and replace!Feb 3, 3:22 PM Opponents/Other Politicians, Policy Defensive 3,639 9,954


Dr. Ben Carson blasted Ted Cruz for "deceit and dirty

tricks and lies."Feb 3, 3:44 PM Opponents/Other Politicians

Provocative,


Thank you New Hampshire!

#MakeAmericaGreatAgain #FITN [Photo]Feb 3, 3:44 PM Self/campaign promotion Positive 2,844 7,197

Stop the assault on American values. Stand w/ Trump

to #MakeAmericaGreatAgain! #VotersSpeak:

https://www.facebook.com/DonaldTrump/videos/10

156602612915725/ … [Photo]

Feb 3, 4:29 PM Policy, Self/campaign promotion Positive, defensive 3,677 9,125

THANK YOU to everyone in Little Rock, Arkansas

tonight! A record crowd of 12K. #Trump2016


56603612740725:0 … [Photo]

Feb 3, 9:31 PMSelf/campaign promotion, voter


Sanders says he wants to run against me because he

doesn't want to run against me. He would be so easy

to beat!

Feb 3, 10:11 PM Opponents/Other PoliticiansDefensive,


Th+29:45ank you @billoreilly & @KarlRove. Ted Cruz

should be immediately disqualified in Iowa, with each

candidate moving up one notch.

Feb 4, 1:33 AM Opponents/Other Politicians, mediaDefensive,


This is the Cruz voter violation certificate sent to

everyone, a misdemeanor at minimum. [Photo]Feb 4, 1:38 AM Opponents/Other Politicians Provocative 6,280 11,854

Politicians are trying to chip away at the 2nd

Amendment. I won’t let them take away our guns!

#Trump2016 Watch:


156604838290725/ [Photo]

Feb 4, 9:26 AM Policy, Self/campaign promotionDefensive,


Taking a helicopter to New Hampshire, boarding now.

Amazing activity planned. New UMASS poll, very nice! Feb 4, 11:12 AM Self/campaign promotion Positive 4,102 12,057

I+33:37 very much look forward to tomorrow’s debate

in New Hampshire—so many things to say, so much at

stake. It will be an incredible evening!


"@DharmaBum77: Donald Trump loves America! He

loves Americans! He loves our Vets!

#TrumpSupporters @realDonaldTrump [Photo]



10,000 people in South Carolina, unbelievable

evening! Will be in New Hampshire tomorrow- love it.

[Photo]


I told you so. Our country totally lost control of illegal

immigration, even with criminals.

http://www.breitbart.com/big-

government/2016/02/04/exclusive-immigration-

committee-chart-fugitive-criminal-aliens-outnumber-

all-new-hampshire-city-populations/ [Article - photo]

Feb 5, 9:42 PM Policy, mediaDefensive,


It never ends! "Fox News- Report: ISIS Fights Entering

Europe Disguised As Refugees bit.ly/1QTLTfeM"Feb 5, 9:51 PM Media Provocative 2,643 5,643

Wow, Jeb Bush, whose campaign is a total disaster,

had to bring in mommy to take a slap at me. Not nice!Feb 6, 9:37 AM Opponents/Other Politicians Offensive 5,143 14,069

The New Hampshire drug epidemic must stop. If

elected POTUS- I will create borders & the drugs will

stop pouring in.


156610923070725/ …

Feb 6, 10:18 AM Policy, Self/campaign promotionPositive,


"@Enlighten2881: @ukcatwoman52 @ericnlin

@AC360 How come Rubio&Cruz are going to turn

America around but did nothing in the Senate for

USA?"


I love New Hampshire - will be an exciting evening! Feb 6, 4:40 PM Self/campaign promotion Positive 2,267 8,269

Come join us at the Verizon Wireless Center-

Manchester, New Hampshire on 2/8! Register now:

http://trumpmanchesternh.eventbrite.com/ [Photo]



"@ABCPolitics: .@realDonaldTrump dominating

@Google searches throughout #GPLFers. " [Photo]Feb 7, 1:26 AM Self/campaign promotion Positive 2,480 6,147


"@ABC:DonaldTrump: "The police in this country have

done an unbelievable job of keeping law and order."

#GOPDebate http://snpy.tv/1SVfssV " [Video]

Feb 7, 1:27 AM Media, Self/campaign promotionPositive,


"@piersmorgan: Trump won that debate. People can

huff & puff all they like but he was the best candidate

on the night. #GOPDebate


We are going to have a big event at the Verizon

Wireless Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire! 5K+!

Join us tomorrow:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/donald-j-trump-in-

manchester-nh-tickets-20922675285 [Link]



Thank you Newt! "Newt Gingrich -

.@realDonaldTrump was big winner. Looked

calm,pleasant,like a frontrunner,had more substance

than previous debates."


So far the Super Bowl is very boring - not nearly as

exciting as politics - MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!Feb 7, 9:03 PM Self/campaign promotion Positive 16,605 31,233

Jeb Bush has zero communication skills so he spent a

fortune of special interest money on a Super Bowl ad.

He is a weak candidate!

Feb 8, 7:20 AMOpponents/Other Politicians,

Campaign spending/funding

Offensive,


Thank you for your support at this mornings Town

Hall- in Salem, New Hampshire. #FITN #NHPrimary Feb 8, 11:29 AM



Jeb Bush is desperate - strongly in favor of

#CommonCore and very weak on illegal immigration.Feb 8, 11:33 AM Opponents/Other Politicians, policy Offensive 2,341 6,914

Everybody is laughing at Jeb Bush-spent $100 million

and is at bottom of pack. A pathetic figure!Feb 8, 11:38 AM

Opponents/Other Politicians,

Campaign spending/fundingOffensive 3,162 8,643

America needs strong leadership. Politicians can talk

but they don’t get things done. Video:


156620333635725/ … [Photo]

Feb 8, 1:30 PM Opponents/Other Politicians Defensive 3,417 9,294

Today's third stop- Londonderry, New Hampshire!

Thank you! #FITN #VoteTrumpNH [Photo]Feb 8, 2:43 PM Self/campaign promotion Positive 1,633 5,461


Now that Bush has wasted $120 million of special

interest money on his failed campaign, he says he

would end super PACs. Sad!

Feb 8, 2:47 PMOpponents/Other Politicians,


Thank you, New Hampshire! #FITN [Photo] Feb 8, 11:06 PM Self/campaign promotion Positive 2,735 8,640

Remember @JebBush wants COMMON CORE

(education from D.C.) and is very weak on ILLEGAL

IMMIGRATION ("come as act of love"). Not a leader!

Feb 9, 7:00 AM Opponents/Other Politicians, policy Offensive 2,146 5,964

I know the "Governors" and Jeb Bush, who has gone

nasty with lies, is by far the weakest of the lot. His

family used private eminent domain!

Feb 9, 7:08 AM Opponents/Other Politicians Offensive 2,007 6,037

No-one has done more for people with disabilities

than me. I have spent many millions of dollars to help

out-and am happy to have done so!

Feb 9, 7:16 AM Self/campaign promotion, policyPositive,


The polls are now showing that I am the best to win

the GENERAL ELECTION. States that are never in play

for Repubs will be won by me. Great!

Feb 9, 7:23 AMSelf/campaign promotion, voter


MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Feb 9, 8:37 AMSelf/campaign promotion, voter


A message to the great people of New Hampshire on

this important day! #VoteTrumpNH Video:


156623696310725/ [Photo]



New Hampshire vote today - MAKE AMERICA GREAT

AGAIN!Feb 9, 11:46 AM Self/campaign promotion Positive 3,837 10,784

ISIS is making big threats today - no respect for U.S.A.

or our "leader" - If I win it will be a very different

story,with very fast results

Feb 9, 4:40 PM Self/campaign promotion, policyProvocative,


We will immediately repeal and replace ObamaCare -

and nobody can do that like me. We will save $'s and

have much better healthcare!

Feb 9, 5:15 PM Self/campaign promotion, policy Provocative 5,041 14,971

We will stop heroin and other drugs from coming into

New Hampshire from our open southern border. We

will build a WALL and have security.

Feb 9, 5:19 PM Self/campaign promotion, policyProvocative,



Thank you, New Hampshire! Departing with my

amazing family now! #FITN #NHPrimary


56626180645725:0 [Photo]


Thank you to the people of New Hampshire, I love

you! Now, off to South Carolina.Feb 9, 10:38 PM Self/campaign promotion Positive 5,648 18,517

Such a great experience in New Hampshire - amazing

people! Will be leaving for a big event in South

Carolina today.


So funny, Jeb Bush called me a "highly gifted politician

and a great entertainer" - I assume that is a

compliment!


THANK YOU- Clemson, South Carolina!

#MakeAmericaGreatAgain #SCPrimary Feb 10, 9:12 PM Self/campaign promotion Positive 3,747 10,718

I have been consistent in my opposition to Common

Core. Get rid of Common Core--- keep education

local!

Feb 10, 9:51 PM Policy Provocative 6,483 16,673

Jeb Bush spent more than $40,000,000 in New

Hampshire to come in 4 or 5, I spent $3,000,000 to

come in 1st. Big difference in capability!



Remember, it was the Republican Party, with the help

of Conservatives, that made so many promises to

their base, BUT DIDN'T KEEP THEM! Hi DT


He (or she) who hesitates is lost: MAKE AMERICA

GREAT AGAIN!Feb 11, 11:51 AM


mobilizationProvocative 3,444 9,234

Jeb failed as Jeb! He gave up and enlisted Mommy

and his brother (who got us into the quicksand of

Iraq). Spent $120 million.Weak-no chance!

Feb 11, 2:45 PMOpponents/Other Politicians,

Campaign spending/fundingOffensive, defensive 2,993 9,238

We are getting reports from many voters that the

Cruz people are back to doing very sleazy and

dishonest "pushpolls" on me. We are watching!


Just landed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Reports are out

that lines are three quarters of a mile to get in. Wow!

#MakeAmericaGreatAgain



THANK YOU- Baton Rouge, Louisiana! WE will

#MakeAmericaGreatAgain! #Trump2016 [Photo]Feb 11, 10:28 PM Self/campaign promotion Positive 4,915 12,049

Lying Cruz put out a statement, “Trump & Rubio are

w/Obama on gay marriage." Cruz is the worst liar,

crazy or very dishonest. Perhaps all 3?

Feb 11, 11:20 PM Opponents/Other Politicians, policy Defensive 4,304 11,571

How can Ted Cruz be an Evangelical Christian when he

lies so much and is so dishonest?Feb 12, 7:03 PM Opponents/Other Politicians, policy Offensive 4,782 12,312

NEVADA! Tomorrow is the deadline to register

Republican. Visit: http://www.DonaldJTrump.com/NV

Message from @IvankaTrump:


156633253035725/ …


If @TedCruz doesn’t clean up his act, stop cheating, &

doing negative ads, I have standing to sue him for not

being a natural born citizen.

Feb 12, 2:45 PM Opponents/Other Politicians Offensive, defensive 5,636 14,570

I will end illegal immigration and protect our borders!

We need to MAKE AMERICA SAFE & GREAT AGAIN!

#Trump2016 [Video]

Feb 12, 7:31 PM PolicyPositive,


11,000 inside venue tonight in Tampa! Broke record

set by Elton John in 1988 w/out musical instruments!

Another 5,000 outside. Will be back!


Just got back from Tampa. It was an amazing evening

with an even more amazing crowd - fantastic people!

Will be in South Carolina tomorrow.


I am the only one who can fix this. Very sad. Will not

happen under my watch! #MakeAmericaGreatAgain

http://nypost.com/video/stomach-turning-moment-

1400-workers-lost-their-jobs/ [Article, photo]

Feb 13, 10:01 AM Policy, media Provocative 2,738 5,874

Now an additional 600-700 jobs in America (2,000)

being eliminated for move to Mexico- via Hartford

Courant. [Photo]

Feb 13, 10:16 AM Policy Provocative 3,538 5,866


The RNC, which is probably not on my side, just

illegally put out a fundraising notice saying Trump

wants you to contribute to the RNC.

Feb 13, 11:37 AM Campaign spending/fundingProvocative,


Totally unauthorized, do not pay. I am self funding my

campaign! Notice has just been withdrawn.

#Trump2016 #MakeAmericaGreatAgain

Feb 13, 11:38 AM Campaign spending/fundingProvocative,


"Get on Trump's List" email from the RNC was not

authorized. I am self funding my campaign! Do not

pay. Email:


56638670970725:0 …

Feb 13, 12:21 PM Campaign spending/fundingProvocative,


Thank you, South Carolina! We will MAKE AMERICA

SAFE & GREAT AGAIN!


56638082135725:0 [Photo]


"@wino911: #Trump2016 We know better than to

trust the RNC " So cute! [Photo]Feb 13, 12:52 PM Campaign spending/funding Positive 3,870 9,560

The totally unexpected loss of Supreme Court Justice

Antonin Scalia is a massive setback for the

Conservative movement and our COUNTRY!

Feb 13, 5:34 PM Personal Provocative 6,771 16,503

Wow! Honored to be chosen by the highly respected +

accurate Washington & Lee Mock Convention. I hope

you are right - I will make you proud!


Nasty Ted Cruz is at it again- same dirty tricks he used

w/ @RealBenCarson- saying I may not be on ballot & I

hold liberal positions. LIES!


Ted Cruz is a cheater! He holds the Bible high and

then lies and misrepresents the facts!Feb 13, 7:13 PM Opponents/Other Politicians Defensive 3,649 10,021

On the way to the #GOPDebate with my wonderful

wife @MelaniaTrump.

https://instagram.com/p/BBv3e4Zmhcu/ [Photo]


Lightweight @JebBush said tonight he didn't know his

family used private eminent domain in Texas- Lie!

#GOPDebate



Thank you! I miss my father. "Eustace Bagge - Well

done tonight, @realDonaldTrump @MELANIATRUMP,

Fred would be so proud of what you are doing for the

country!

Feb 14, 12:27 AM Self/campaign promotion, Personal Positive 2,340 8,022

How can @JebBush beat Hillary Clinton- if he can't

beat anyone else on the #GOPDebate stage with

$150M? I am the only one who can!



All polls have me winning debate big- Drudge, TIME,

etc. Dopey Charles Krauthammer still nasty. He has

zero cred- totally dishonest!

Feb 14, 1:12 AM Media, Self/campaign promotion Defensive 2,696 8,706

Hey @glennbeck- see how I beat your boy Ted- in

your own Blaze poll? Your endorsement means

nothing! #GOPDebate


This shows what a complete & total liar Ted Cruz is-

he said he wouldn't have nominated John Roberts.

Really?

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/214989/right-

stuff-ted-cruz [Link]


Thank you for your support! TOGETHER we will MAKE

AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!


56642768615725:0 … [Photo]



Loved the debate last night, and almost everyone said

I won, but the RNC did a terrible job of ticket

distrbution. All donors & special ints

Feb 14, 3:55 PM Self/campaign promotion Positive, defensive 3,379 11,525

Wow, in the new CBS Poll I went way up into the

forties! Thank you!Feb 14, 4:10 PM Self/campaign promotion, media Positive 3,833 12,884

Ted Cruz, along with Jeb Bush, pushed Justice John

Roberts onto the Supreme Court. Roberts could have

killed ObamaCare twice, but didn't!

Feb 14, 5:02 PM Opponents/Other Politicians, policyDefensive,


Funny that Jeb(!) didn't want help from his family in

his failed campaign and didn't even want to use his

last name.Then mommy, now brother!



Jeb Bush and Ted Cruz are not electable presidential

candidates, Hillary would destroy them. Ted may not

be eligible to run - born in Canada

Feb 15, 7:24 AM Opponents/Other Politicians, policy Offensive 3,461 10,284

I will be in South Carolina all week. Saturday is BIG,

BIG, BIG! Get out and vote - MAKE AMERICA GREAT

AGAIN



Now that George Bush is campaigning for Jeb(!), is he

fair game for questions about World Trade Center,

Iraq War and eco collapse? Careful!

Feb 15, 9:04 AM Opponents/Other Politicians, policyOffensive,


What a night! 10,000 amazing supporters in

Greenville, South Carolina! THANK YOU! VOTE on

Saturday! #VoteTrumpSC [Photo]



New South Carolina poll from PPP. Thank you!

#VoteTrumpSC [Photo]Feb 15, 11:18 PM



New PPP Poll just out - Trump up big, Cruz, Rubio and

Bush down. The debate results, even with a stacked

RNC audience, were wonderful!


Thank you! #MakeAmericaGreatAgain [Photo] Feb 16, 7:37 AM Self/campaign promotion Positive 4,270 9,917

Thank you to the 2,500+ in North Augusta, South

Carolina. Lines down the block! Don't forget to VOTE

on Saturday! [Photo]



"@debdew2: @brithume @megynkelly

@DiamondandSilk FOX: TRUMP HATERS R SCARED

BECAUSE THEY LOSE - TRUMP IS WINNING" [Photo]


Why does @megynkelly devote so much time on her

shows to me, almost always negative? Without me

her ratings would tank. Get a life Megyn!

Feb 16, 10:58 PM Media Offensive, defensive 5,152 15,345

Interesting how President Obama so haltingly said I

"would never be president" - This from perhaps the

worst president in U.S. history!

Feb 17, 6:08 AM Opponents/Other PoliticiansDefensive,


I will beat Hillary easily, but Lindsey Graham says I

won't, and yet he got zero against me- no cred! Why

does FOX put him on?

Feb 17, 9:40 AM Opponents/Other Politicians, media Offensive, defensive 3,260 9,359

.@FoxNews is so biased it is disgusting. They do not

want Trump to win. All negative!Feb 17, 9:49 AM Media Defensive 25,502 19,094


Just out Nevada poll shows Jeb Bush at 1%, he should

take his dumb mouthpiece, @LindseyGrahamSC, and

just go home.


Jeb Bush just got contact lenses and got rid of the

glasses. He wants to look cool, but it's far too late. 1%

in Nevada!


Thank you Nevada! #MakeAmericaGreatAgain

#Trump2016 [Photo]Feb 17, 11:31 AM Self/campaign promotion Positive 4,658 10,534

THANK YOU AMERICA! #MakeAmericaGreatAgain


Amazing that while I lead by big numbers in the new

Q and and USA Today polls, the the press only wants

to report on the phony WSJ/NBC poll.


The just out USA Today National Poll, where I lead by

big numbers, shows that in a head to head matchup, I

beat both Hillary and Bernie.

Feb 18, 5:53 AMSelf/campaign promotion,

Opponents/Other PoliticiansPositive, defensive 4,306 11,346

I love being in South Carolina. We are leading big in all

of the State polls - Saturday is a BIG day. MAKE

AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!



New CBS National Poll just out - massive lead for

Trump. The Wall Street Journal/NBC Poll is a total

joke. No wonder WSJ is doing so badly!

Feb 18, 7:26 AM Self/campaign promotion, media Positive 3,287 8,476

Thank you America! #Trump2016


56657376720725:0 …

[Photo]


Thank you South Carolina! Together, WE WILL MAKE

AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! #VoteTrumpSC [Photo]Feb 18, 8:30 AM Self/campaign promotion Positive 4,522 10,664

I agree with Marco Rubio that Ted Cruz is a liar! Feb 18, 9:11 AM Opponents/Other PoliticiansDefensive,


Response to the Pope:


56658168535725 …

Feb 18, 1:07 PM Personal Provocative 4,703 9,808


We will MAKE AMERICA SAFE & GREAT AGAIN!

#Trump2016 #VoteTrumpSC


156659139295725/ … [Photo]



Thank you South Carolina! Everyone get out and vote

tomorrow! We will #MakeAmericaGreatAgain!

[Photo]


I’m self-funding and I am going to take care of the

people – not the special interests and insurance

companies like the other candidates.

Feb 19, 3:29 PM Campaign spending/funding Positive, defensive 3,751 10,492

I have built so many great & complicated projects–

creating tens of thousands of jobs-video:


156655304665725/ … [Video]

Feb 19, 4:00 PM Self/campaign promotion, PersonalPositive,


I use both iPhone & Samsung. If Apple doesn't give

info to authorities on the terrorists I'll only be using

Samsung until they give info.


Boycott all Apple products until such time as Apple

gives cellphone info to authorities regarding radical

Islamic terrorist couple from Cal


Just finished two major speeches in South Carolina.

Big crowds, great people. Going for a third now!Feb 19, 4:49 PM Self/campaign promotion, Personal Positive 2,215 8,109

MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Feb 19, 4:51 PM Self/campaign promotion Positive 9,436 17,873

"@micah_micahk: @realDonaldTrump @blackan

@DanScavino this veteran voted for Trump in TX early

voting! " [Photo]


I am the only candidate (in many years) who is self-

funding his campaign. Lobbyists and $ interests totally

control all other candidates!

Feb 20, 10:31 AM Campaign spending/funding Provocative 4,780 12,199

I wonder if President Obama would have attended the

funeral of Justice Scalia if it were held in a Mosque?

Very sad that he did not go!


Remember that Marco Rubio is very weak on illegal

immigration. South Carolina needs strength as illegals

and Syrians pour in. Don't allow it

Feb 20, 12:02 PM Policy, Opponents/Other Politicians Offensive 3,949 10,410


South Carolina voters have the future of our country

in their hands. Vote now (today), and MAKE AMERICA

GREAT AGAIN!



"@CarrollKuykend2: This veteran just voted

@realDonaldTrump in the SC primary, let's make

America great again!"


People (pundits) gave me no chance in South

Carolina. Now it looks like a possible win. I would be

happy with a one vote victory! (HOPE)


What a great night. Thank you South Carolina, a

special place with truly amazing people! LOVEFeb 20, 10:01 PM Self/campaign promotion Positive 6,209 20,169

"@mikeliberation: This is the best reaction shot I've

ever seen lol #Trump2016" [Photo]Feb 20, 11:57 PM Self/campaign promotion Positive 14,031 31,433

Thank you @SarahPalinUSA for your amazing help

and support. Big win, leaving now for Atlanta and

Nevada.The people of South Carolina got it!


Opponents/Other PoliticiansPositive 3,087 11,829

I will be live on all of the major morning talk shows.

Enjoy!Feb 21, 6:36 AM Self/campaign promotion Positive 2,097 8,399

The failing @WSJ Wall Street Journal should fire both

its pollster and its Editorial Board. Seldom has a paper

been so wrong.Totally biased!

Feb 21, 6:52 AM Media Offensive, defensive 4,071 11,878

A number of months ago, I was not expected to win

South Carolina,Ted Cruz was, and yet I won in a

landslide - every group and category. WIN!


Opponents/Other PoliticiansPositive, defensive 3,146 12,130

I am in Las Vegas, at the best hotel (by far), Trump

International. I will be working with my wonderful

teams and volunteers to WIN Nevada!


The reason that Ted Cruz lost the Evangelicals in S.C. is

because he is a world class LIAR, and Evangelicals do

not like liars!


I hear the Rickets family, who own the Chicago Cubs,

are secretly spending $'s against me. They better be

careful, they have a lot to hide!

Feb 22, 9:42 AM Campaign spending/funding Defensive 6,774 15,173

Many people are now saying I won South Carolina

because of the last debate. I showed anger and the

people of our country are very angry!



It is so important to audit The Federal Reserve, and

yet Ted Cruz missed the vote on the bill that would

allow this to be done.


Wow, Ted Cruz falsely suggested Marco Rubio

mocked the Bible and was just forced to fire his

Communications Director. More dirty tricks!

Feb 22, 3:44 PM Opponents/Other Politicians

Defensive,

provocative,

offensive

3,743 9,836

Ted Cruz has been playing an ad about me that is so

ridiculously false - no basis in fact. Take ad down Ted.

Biggest liar in politics!



Ted Cruz has now apologized to Marco Rubio and Ben

Carson for fraud and dirty tricks. No wonder he has

lost Evangelical support!


Just saw the phony ad by Cruz - totally false, more

dirty tricks. He got caught in so many lies - is this man

crazy?

Feb 22, 4:06 PM Opponents/Other Politicians Defensive, offensive 2,961 8,616

Ted Cruz should be disqualified from his fraudulent

win in Iowa. Weak RNC and Republican leadership

probably won't let this happen! Sad.

Feb 22, 4:11 PM Opponents/Other Politicians Defensive, offensive 2,753 8,500

Thank you Illinois! Great news! #VoteTrumpIL on

3/15!

Trump 28%, Cruz 15%, Rubio 14%, Kasich 13%, Bush

8%, Carson 6%, Simon Poll/SIU



Just watched the very incompetent Mitt Romney

Campaign Strategist, Stuart Stevens. Now I know why

Mitt lost so badly. Stevens is a clown!

Feb 22, 8:29 PM Opponents/Other Politicians Offensive 2,238 7,394

Great poll! Thank you North Carolina! #VoteTrumpNC

on 3/15! Trump 36% Cruz 18% Rubio 18% Carson 10%

Kasich 7% Via @SurveyUSA



Thank you Michigan! #VoteTrumpMI Trump 35%

Kasich 17% Cruz 12% Rubio 12% Carson 9% Via: ARGFeb 22, 8:37 PM



Wow was Ted Cruz disloyal to his very capable

director of communication. He used him as a scape

goat-fired like a dog! Ted panicked.


Ted Cruz lifts the Bible high into the air and then lies

like a dog-over and over again! The Evangelicals in S.C.

figured him out & said no!



I am growing the Republican Party tremendously - just

look at the numbers, way up! Democrats numbers are

significantly down from years past.



Unlike the other Republican candidates, I will be in

Nevada all day and night - I won't be fleeing, in and

out. I love & invest in Nevada!


mobilizationPositive, defensive 3,463 11,638

Great. Just reported on @FoxNews that many people

who supported @JebBush are now supporting me. I

knew that would happen, pundits didn't!

Feb 23, 1:12 PM Opponents/Other Politicians, media Provocative 4,519 13,541

Exclusive interview w/ my wife @MELANIATRUMP-

tomorrow morning @ 8amE on @Morning_Joe w/

@morningmika @MSNBC. Enjoy! [Photo]

Feb 23, 8:56 PM Personal, media Postive 2,612 7,798

Make sure you get on the Trump line and are not

mislead by the Cruz people. They are bad! BE

CAREFUL.



THANK YOU NEVADA! WE WILL MAKE AMERICA SAFE

& GREAT AGAIN!


56680424255725:0 …


THANK YOU NEVADA! #Trump2016

#MakeAmericaGreatAgain @Snapchat! Username:

realdonaldtrump

https://www.snapchat.com/add/realdonaldtrump …

[Photo]


Big defeat last night in Nevada for Ted Cruz and

Marco Rubio. @KarlRove on @FoxNews is working

hard to belittle my victory. Rove is sick!

Feb 24, 11:09 AM Opponents/Other Politicians, mediaDefensive,


.@USATODAY Poll and @QuinnipiacPoll say that I beat

both Hillary and Bernie, and I havn't even started on

them yet!

Feb 24, 11:12 AM Opponents/Other Politicians, media Provocative 4,111 10,638

I am self funding my campaign & don't owe anybody

anything! I only owe it to the American people!

#Trump2016 Watch:


156681405075725/ …

Feb 24, 12:03 PMCampaign spending/funding,

Self/campaign promotionPositive, defensive 4,626 13,383


In all of television- the only one who said anything

bad about last nights landslide victory-- was dopey

@KarlRove. He should be fired!

Feb 24, 1:27 PM Media Offensive 2,784 8,995

MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! [Photo] Feb 24, 1:31 PM Self/campaign promotion Positive 4,498 10,576

The polls show that I picked up many Jeb Bush

supporters. That is how I got to 46%. When others

drop out, I will pick up more. Sad but true

Feb 24, 4:36 PMSelf/campaign promotion,


Positive,


Mitt Romney,who totally blew an election that should

have been won and whose tax returns made him look

like a fool, is now playing tough guy


When Mitt Romney asked me for my endorsement

last time around, he was so awkward and goofy that

we all should have known he could not win!

Feb 24, 6:26 PM Opponents/Other Politicians Offensive, defensive 4,109 10,425

Why would Texans vote for "liar" Ted Cruz when he

was born in Canada, lived there for 4 years-and

remained a Canadian citizen until recently


When Ted Cruz quits the race and the field begins to

clear, I will get most of his votes - no problem!Feb 24, 6:49 PM


Opponents/Other PoliticiansOffensive, positive 3,342 11,039

Ted Cruz is lying again. Polls are showing that I do

beat Hillary Clinton head to head. Check out

http://U.S.A.Today Poll snd Q Poll.

Feb 24, 9:20 PM Opponents/Other Politicians, media Offensive 2,759 7,497

"@conservativevin: @ahernandez85a Romney should

have been a tough guy with Obama. He cowered and

lost. BADLY! He's not relevant!"


Mitt Romney, who was one of the dumbest and worst

candidates in the history of Republican politics, is now

pushing me on tax returns. Dope!

Feb 25, 7:34 AM Opponents/Other Politicians, Policy Offensive, defensive 8,303 22,586

Why doesn’t @MittRomney just endorse

@marcorubio already. Should have done it before NH

or Nevada where he had a little sway. Too late now!


Just for your info, tax returns have 0 to do w/

someone’s net worth. I have already filed my financial

statements w/ FEC. They are great!

Feb 25, 11:22 AM Personal Defensive 3,483 10,449

Signing a recent tax return- isn't this ridiculous?

[Photo]Feb 25, 11:35 AM Personal Provocative 6,629 17,317


I'm going to do what @MittRomney was totally

unable to do- WIN!Feb 25, 11:44 AM


Opponents/Other PoliticiansPositive, offensive 6,208 15,663

Join me in Oklahoma tomorrow night!

#MakeYoutubeGreatAgain #Trump2016

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/donald-j-trump-in-

oklahoma-city-tickets-22063276855 … [Photo]


Early on Ted Cruz said that if he didn't win South

Carolina, it's over. He didn't win- and lost to me in a

landslide!


FMR PRES of Mexico, Vicente Fox horribly used the F

word when discussing the wall. He must apologize! If I

did that there would be a uproar!

Feb 25, 3:27 PM Media Offensive 5,222 16,314

THANK YOU! #MakeAmericaGreatAgain #Trump2016


56687171790725:0 … [Photo]


Thank you! WE WILL MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!


"@restorereality: Tonight you proved to America you

are the real deal. You took fire from all sides, stayed

composed, returned fire and WON!


I will be making a speech at 12:00 in Fort Worth,

Texas. Really big crowd expected. Will be talking

about the debate last night-plus, plus!


Have a good chance to win Texas on Tuesday. Cruz is a

nasty guy, not one Senate endorsement and, despite

talk, gets nothing done. Loser!


Opponents/Other PoliticiansPositive, offensive 5,002 15,925

Why would the people of Florida vote for Marco

Rubio when he defrauded them by agreeing to

represent them as their Senator and then quit!

Feb 26, 9:49 AM Opponents/Other PoliticiansOffensive,


Will be at Fort Worth (Texas) Convention Center at

11:30 A.M. Big crowd - get there early! Big

announcement to be made!


Lying Ted Cruz and lightweight choker Marco Rubio

teamed up last night in a last ditch effort to stop our

great movement. They failed!



Lightweight choker Marco Rubio looks like a little boy

on stage. Not presidential material!Feb 26, 11:16 AM Opponents/Other Politicians Offensive 4,114 12,393

Wow, every poll said I won the debate last night.

Great honor!Feb 26, 11:17 AM Self/campaign promotion Positive 3,921 14,991

Lightweight Marco Rubio was working hard last night.

The problem is, he is a choker, and once a choker,

always a choker! Mr. Meltdown.


They don't like Rubio in Florida- he left them high &

dry. Doesn't even show up for votes!Feb 26, 3:52 PM Opponents/Other Politicians Offensive 3,725 11,373

Thank you for your support & friendship- Governor

@ChrisChristie! #MakeAmericaGreatAgain

#Trump2016 [Photo]

Feb 26, 4:07 PMSelf/campaign promotion,

Opponents/Other PoliticiansPositive 6,531 19,703

Never let them see you sweat! [Photo] Feb 26, 4:11 PM Opponents/Other Politicians Positive 9,905 21,726

Thank you Texas! 10,000 amazing supporters!

#Trump2016 #MakeAmericaGreatAgain Feb 26, 4:34 PM Self/campaign promotion Positive 4,402 12,594

What I would do on my first day in office.

#MakeAmericaGreatAgain Watch:


156689716915725/ [Photo]


Thank you Pastor Robert Jeffress!

#MakeAmericaGreatAgain #Trump2016 [Video]Feb 27, 12:06 AM Self/campaign promotion Positive 4,592 11,111

Tax experts throughout the media agree that no sane

person would give their tax returns during an audit.

After the audit, no problem!

Feb 27, 10:20 AM Personal Provocative 3,139 10,468

I am self-funding my campaign and am therefore not

controlled by the lobbyists and special interests like

lightweight Rubio or Ted Cruz!

Feb 27, 10:25 AMCampaign spending/funding,


Defensive,


Fun to watch the Democrats working so hard to win

the great State of South Carolina when I just won the

Republican version - amazing people!


I only wish my wonderful father, Fred, gave me $200

million to start my business like lightweight Rubio

says. He didn't - total fabrication!

Feb 27, 11:04 AMPersonal, Opponents/Other

PoliticiansOffensive 4,213 13,344

I started my business with very little and built it into a

great company, with some of the best real estate

assets in the World. Amazing!

Feb 27, 11:08 AM Personal Positive 3,947 13,760


Just watched lightweight Marco Rubio lying to a small

crowd about my past record. He is not as smart as

Cruz, and may be an even bigger liar

Feb 27, 4:20 PM Opponents/Other PoliticiansOffensive,


It was an honor to be the Grand Marshall- in the

Salute to Israel Parade back in 2004. Feb 27, 5:40 PM Personal Positive 4,496 12,655

THANK YOU Arkansas! Get out & #VoteTrump on

Tuesday. We will MAKE AMERICA SAFE & GREAT

AGAIN! [Photo]

Feb 27, 9:13 PMSelf/campaign promotion, Voter


We need to fix our broken education system!

#StopCommonCore #MakeAmericaGreatAgain Video:


156692264830725 [Photo]

Feb 27, 10:02 PMSelf/campaign promotion, Voter

mobilization, PolicyPositive 4,415 12,492

While Hillary and I both won South Carolina by big

margins, Repubs got far more votes with a massive

increase from past cycles.GROWING PARTY

Feb 28, 7:20 AM


Opponents/Other Politicians, Voter

mobilization

Positive,


I am the only Republican who will get large numbers

of Dems and Indies (crossover). I will also get states

that no other Republican can get.

Feb 28, 7:43 AM Self/campaign promotion, Voter

mobilization

Positive,


Making a big speech in Alabama today. So many

people we had to move to a football stadium! Come

and join us!


Little Marco Rubio, the lightweight no show Senator

from Florida, is set to be the "puppet" of the special

interest Koch brothers. WATCH!

Feb 28, 11:07 AM Opponents/Other Politicians, media Offensive 3,871 10,229

Why would the people of Texas support Ted Cruz

when he has accomplished absolutely nothing for

them. He is another all talk, no action pol!


As I stated at the press conference on Friday regarding

David Duke- I disavow. [Video]Feb 28, 12:35 PM Self/campaign promotion Positive 5,791 10,981

Little Marco Rubio, the lightweight no show Senator

from Florida is just another Washington politician.

[Photo]


Little Marco Rubio is just another Washington D.C.

politician that is all talk and no action. #RobotRubio

[Video]



I will be making a big surprise announcement to the

massive crowd assembled in Huntsville/Madison

Alabama! Landing now! #Trump2016


Our law enforcement officers deserve our

appreciation for the incredible job they do. Video:


156696078600725/ [Photo]

Feb 28, 5:02 PM Self/campaign promotion, policyPositive,


THANK YOU ALABAMA! 32,000 supporters tonight.

Get out & VOTE on Tuesday! WE WILL MAKE AMERICA

GREAT AGAIN!



Thank you @SenatorSessions!

#MakeAmericaGreatAgain #Trump2016


56699096370725:0 [Photo]


Thank you America! Get out & VOTE tomorrow!

#Trump2016 #MakeAmericaGreatAgain


56700735560725 [Photo]



"Hillary could lose to Trump in Democratic New York"

#MakeAmericaGreatAgain #Trump2016

http://nypost.com/2016/02/28/hillary-could-lose-to-

trump-in-democratic-new-york/ [Photo]


Opponents/Other Politicians, Media

Positive,


I am self funding my campaign and only work for YOU,

the American people! #Trump2016 Video:


156699675010725/ [Photo]


Campaign spending/fundingPositive 5,790 15,577

My wife @MELANIATRUMP will be joining

@andersoncooper @AC360 tonight at 8pmE on

@CNN. Enjoy!

Feb 29, 1:57 PMPersonal, Self/campaign promotion,

mediaPositive 3,292 10,731

Thank you Virginia! 15,000 amazing supporters!

Everyone get out and #VoteTrump tomorrow!

[Photos]



Great news- Former Mayor of Dallas, Tom Leppert,

has just endorsed me! Thank you! Tomorrow is a big

day- VOTE! #VoteTrump #SuperTuesday

Feb 29, 8:40 PM


mobilization, Opponents/Other

Politicians

Positive 5,272 14,676


Thank you Columbus, Ohio! [Photos] March 1, 2:34 PM Self/campaign promotion Positive 3,736 12,173

Wow! Thank you Louisville, Kentucky! #VoteTrump on

3/5/2016! Lets #MakeAmericaGreatAgain!


56706347280725:0 [Photo]

March 1, 5:18 PMSelf/campaign promotion, voter


Thank you Tennessee! #Trump2016 #SuperTuesday March 1, 8:02 PM Self/campaign promotion Positive 7,397 20,776

Type Tones Success

Self/campaign promotion Positive Likes

Policy Offensive Retweets

Campaign spending/funding Defensive

Voter mobilization Provocative

Personal


Media

Retrieved from: https://twitter.com/search?q=from%3ArealDonaldTrump%20since%3A2016-02-01%20until%3A2016-03-02&src=typd between March 30-April 2, 2016

how social media used by politicians? 2016

Economy & Finance