The Neuroscience Behind Donald Trump's Prop-Driven Political Rhetoric
For seasoned observers of President Donald Trump's communications, his distinctive speaking style is immediately recognizable. Even when sentences remain incomplete, his delivery leaves a lasting impression. A recurring element in his political speeches and public appearances is the frequent and strategic use of props. While these moments can sometimes evoke the feeling of watching a late-night infomercial, there is genuine rhetorical power behind the objects—and people—Trump chooses to employ. Neuroscience provides compelling evidence to support this approach.
A Political Tradition: Props Beyond the Trump Era
Props in politics are not exclusively a Trumpian phenomenon. Throughout history, politicians have utilized objects to amplify their messages. Examples range from the theatrical—such as Senator Ted Cruz reading Dr. Seuss on the Senate floor in 2013 to filibuster the Affordable Care Act—to the solemn, like President Barack Obama drinking filtered water from Flint, Michigan, during the city's contamination crisis. Studies have even analyzed how global leaders, including Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, employ props to strengthen their rhetorical appeals.
According to Patti Wood, a body language and nonverbal communication expert and author of SNAP: Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language, and Charisma, props play a unique role in persuasion theory by accessing specific parts of an audience's brain. "Objects affect the brain in a totally different way—specifically the limbic brain, that primitive brain," Wood explained. "That increases the speed in which we process it. If someone sees a prop, it hits their limbic brain, they'll see it faster and it hits them emotionally."
The Speed of Visual Processing and Emotional Targeting
This processing occurs remarkably quickly. A 2014 MIT study found that the human brain can process images in as little as 13 milliseconds. The effect is intensified when multiple senses are engaged—tactile sensations, auditory cues, kinesthetic feedback, or even scent can fast-track the desired emotional response from an audience.
Targeting emotions allows points to be conveyed more viscerally, even when factual or logical arguments might be less robust. "[Using props] does help reach a different audience in a different way," Wood noted. "Typically, in a regular speech, the audience retains 10-25% [of information shared], not more than 25% in just a stated speech with words. But props increase not only the attention but the retention."
Trump's Distinctive Prop Style: From Binders to Branding
While props are not new to politics, Trump's application is notably unique within the digital attention economy. His repertoire includes binders labeled "Epstein files" prepared for influencers, riffing with a binder clip while discussing "365 Wins in 365 Days," using a garbage truck to critique Joe Biden, "making fries" at a McDonald's, and numerous photo opportunities featuring hard copies of documents bearing his signature.
Wood observes that Trump visibly delights in using props, which both aid his delivery and energize him. "They know the power of the props, they plan the props and [Trump] likes to see the emotional effect of his presentations. He gets fed by that and that makes him speak better in those moments," she said. "I can see his [nonverbal communication], he delights and smiles when the props are on the table, when he's holding a prop. He really enjoys it."
Memorable instances, like the 2016 "steak infomercial" event at Trump National Golf Club—where he showcased Trump-branded water, wine, and steaks after primary victories—demonstrate his ability to flip narratives and reinforce his personal brand. "He was using all the physical props of his business behind him—even though some of them were failures—to show his business acumen and credibility," Wood analyzed. "The prop becomes a replacement for facts. That's not a benefit, but it's a power."
People as Props and the Creation of Lasting Artifacts
People can also serve as props, as seen in the controversial 2020 photo op outside St. John's Episcopal Church featuring General Mark Milley, who later called the incident "a mistake." Wood noted that while Trump's team often approaches props with humor, those unfamiliar with the tactic, like Milley, can appear visibly uncomfortable.
Trump excels at integrating props into his brand, creating "artifacts" that resonate with his base. His signature blue suit, red tie, and white shirt form a uniform, while catchphrases define his public persona. Wood highlights the bandage he wore after the 2024 assassination attempt, which sparked solidarity bandages among other Republicans. "It has duality of power because there's some part of our brain that always remembers him with the bandage on him. It becomes permanent, an artifact and part of the brand."
Simplifying Complex Concepts: The Tic Tac Example
Another illustrative moment was Trump's use of large and small Tic Tac containers to explain his plans to combat inflation. This visual simplification, though not necessarily factual, made complex economic concepts accessible to his base. "The complex concept was inflation. He was saying he was going to reduce inflation, so you don't have the small container of Tic Tacs," Wood said. "It makes it easier for even someone who can't read to comprehend what Trump's saying because it simplifies it so much."
These oversimplifications can falter under factual scrutiny, but Trump's team understands that his base may not engage deeply with policy details. Instead, the memetic shorthand—like the Tic Tacs—becomes the memorable message. "His people know that people aren't necessarily going to read a heavy-duty article on how he's going to affect inflation, but they'll remember the Tic Tacs," Wood concluded. "Things are turned into memes. The meme of the prop becomes the memorable message."
