: dog whistle - ambiguous messaging designed to stoke fears, anxieties, or prejudices against minorities or other marginalized groups, or to covertly signal allegiance to specific subgroups.
: The slogan "Make America Great Again" can be used to frame nostalgia for the social and racial hierarchies of the past as patriotism. Adopting it can signal preference for a return to the way things were prior to modern social progress to certain audiences while remaining purely patriotic to the broader audience.

: false claim - a statement that is directly contradicted by fact and can be easily proven untrue.
: Historical data actually shows that the stock market has risen more under Democratic than Republican presidencies.^[1]

: name-calling - using emotionally charged, derogatory terms to brand opponents with lasting negative associations that become synonymous with their identity.
: The phrase "fake news" discredits journalism by reducing the whole profession to a pejorative label, dismissing unfavorable coverage as illegitimate rather than engaging with it on substance.

: post hoc - proclaiming that because something occurred after X, it was caused by X, when no causal relationship at all may exist.
: Taking credit for the low unemployment rate after 10 months, when the rate had been falling for 7 consecutive years, before he took office.^[6]

: false equivalence - implying that two things are essentially the same, despite being significantly different, by focusing on anecdotal or superficial similarities.
: Between predictions for quarterly GDP growth (which hit 3%) and annual GDP growth, when annual growth for 2017 never reached 3% as predicted.^[7][8]

: enough with political correctness - rebranding the voicing of of racism, bigotry, and xenophobia as just telling it like it is.

: virtue words - using emotionally appealing words that align with the target audience's value system to elicit approval or support.
: Words like "pro-family," "pro-police," "pro-worker," and "pro-American" sound reassuring and patriotic but are void of specific policy, relying purely on emotional resonance rather than substance.

: scapegoating - assigning blame to a vulnerable target, often without justification.
: The statement singles out immigrants (both illegal and otherwise) as a group that everyday Americans can blame for their suffering. By oversimplifying and exaggerating their role as the cause of widespread harm, it directs public anger toward them rather than toward internal systemic failures.

: demonizing - characterizing a group or those who support an opposing viewpoint as threatening, immoral, or less than human.
: Those that have immigrated to the U.S. via chain migration.

: appeal to tradition - suggesting that moving away from or abandoning a long-standing practice could have detrimental or even dangerous implications.
: Trump appeals to a time when "Merry Christmas" was more commonly used in public spaces, suggesting that limiting expressions of Christianity in public settings diminishes cultural values.

: demonizing - characterizing a group or those who support an opposing viewpoint as threatening, immoral, or less than human.
: Illegal aliens.

: virtue words - using emotionally appealing words that align with the target audience's value system to elicit approval or support.
: Phrases like "tough on crime," "strong on borders," and "strong on immigration" sound authoritative and decisive but substitute forceful rhetoric for detailed solutions.

: honor by association - defending or championing cultural sacred cows to transfer the respect, authority, and prestige associated with those symbols onto oneself.
: Trump champions both the national anthem and God, thereby aligning himself with the revered ideals of patriotism, divine authority, and inalienable rights.

: honor by association - defending or championing cultural sacred cows to transfer the respect, authority, and prestige associated with those symbols onto oneself.
: Trump references the national anthem, the sacrifices of U.S. troops, and the Constitution, aligning himself with the patriotism, bravery, and values embodied in these national icons.

: glittering generalities - vague, emotionally charged language that evokes strong feelings or associations, but offers few if any specifics.
: About "powerful forces and very bad, evil people, who know who they are and liked it the other way, and who will do anything, anytime and never stop"—while offering no clarity on who these people are, what they are doing, or how they are being stopped.

: appeal to pity - portraying oneself as a victim to elicit sympathy, deflect criticism, and foster a sense of shared vulnerability with the audience.
: Trump portrays himself as a martyr to address the supposed harm being done to the country, fostering a sense of shared urgency and resolve with the audience.

: common folk - connecting with an audience by giving the impression that you understand and share their everyday struggles and concerns.
: By embracing the term "deplorables," Trump fosters a sense of shared identity with his audience, signaling solidarity with their everyday struggles and concerns.