Gaslighting America: Why We Love It When Trump Lies to Us

An examination of how Donald Trump’s lies and fabrications enthrall us and how we can avoid falling for them.

Far too many people believe President Trump’s next outburst will be the one that finally brings him down. In fact, the exact opposite is true: his outrageous antics and wild lies are his biggest strength.

This may drive you crazy. CNN contributor, ex-Ted Cruz staffer, and “Never Trump” adherent Amanda Carpenter says that’s the point. Over the years, Trump has developed a winning formula that forces anyone who stands in his way into a discombobulated state of weakness and confusion.

In Gaslighting America, Carpenter breaks down Trump’s playbook, showing why it’s practically foolproof, manipulating all the major players—the Republicans, the Democrats, the media, and the victims of his method—perfectly. She traces how this tactic started with Nixon, gained traction with Bill Clinton, and exploded under Trump.

Carpenter explains that when Trump seizes control over the political narrative, he always follows the same steps. First, he stakes out political territory no one else would dare occupy, taking over the news cycle. Next, he denies responsibility while simultaneously advancing the story. His third step may be his most maddening: he creates suspense for his story by saying more information is coming soon. His fourth step is carefully selecting a detractor to attack, often finding the weakest opponent or someone who will be severely damaged by taking a roll in the mud with him. If he’s successful, and sometimes even when he’s not, he’ll proceed to the fifth step: declaring victory under any circumstance.

As a former communications staffer to Ted Cruz, Amanda Carpenter witnessed how her fellow Republicans fell in line behind Trump. As a political commentator, she was publicly smeared by one of his supporters on live television without a shred of evidence supporting the allegations. Slowly, she watched her entire party succumb to Trump and become defenders of his tactics. In this lively and thorough book, Carpenter skillfully gives Republicans and Democrats the information the need to counter President Trump’s most valuable weapon.

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