The Trump Propaganda Translator: Decoding Mcenany

Our White House correspondent puts into plain English what the administration’s press secretary is really saying—and not saying

- Brian Karem

McEnany’s press briefings are nothing more than theater.

If there’s one thing both sides of the political spectrum can agree on about Donald Trump, it is that his administration seems to be in constant motion.

Some say it’s chaos. Some say it’s inspired brilliance. But whatever you label the media vortex, until recently it did not include daily briefings by the White House press secretary.

Trump’s previous press secretary, Stephanie Grisham, did not hold a single press briefing, although her predecessors, Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Sean Spicer, often did (with much spin). Those close to the president say he finally got to a point where he liked being his own press secretary and thought he could do it better than anyone else.

Enter press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, who stepped up to the plate and reintroduced the daily briefing. On five occasions she and the president have even briefed on the same day—quite a difference from Trump’s other press secretaries. Both Spicer and Sanders said they wouldn’t brief on the same day the president spoke because they didn’t want to step on his message.

With McEnany it has been different. Insiders say the president is more than willing to share the spotlight with her because she is so adept at backing him without stepping on his message. Others think Trump just enjoys having someone agree with him, since so many these days do not.