Changing Their Minds?: Donald Trump and Presidential Leadership

Presidents rarely succeed in persuading the public or Congress to change their minds and move from opposition to particular policies to support. Successful presidents recognize and skillfully exploit the opportunities already found in their political environments, but if they fail to understand their strategic positions, they are likely to overreach and experience political disaster. George C. Edwards III finds that President Trump has been constrained by his environment and was unable to exploit the opportunities he had, ultimately lessening his chances of success.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 376 pages
Publication date: 21 May 2021
Publisher: The University of Chicago Press

Despite widespread assumptions, presidents seldom succeed in convincing either the general public or members of Congress to alter their stances and support particular policies. As a result, the White House is unable to reshape the political landscape and create opportunities for change. Successful presidents, on the other hand, recognize and deftly leverage the opportunities already present in their political contexts. Failure to comprehend their strategic positions can lead to overreaching and political disaster.

Donald Trump has been a unique president, raising new questions. Could someone with his decades of experience as a self-promoter connect with the public and win its support? Could a president with extensive negotiation skills secure the support in Congress needed to pass his legislative programs? Would we need to modify the theory of presidential leadership to accommodate a president with unique persuasive abilities?

George C. Edwards III addresses these questions, drawing on decades of research and extensive new data. He discovers that President Trump has been no different from other presidents in terms of environmental constraints. He failed to move the public or Congress, even for an experienced salesman and dealmaker. Presidential power, in essence, remains the power to persuade. Equally significant, as Edwards demonstrates, Trump was unable to exploit the opportunities he had. In fact, we learn here that the patterns of the president's rhetoric, communications, and approach to dealing with Congress ultimately reduced his chances of success. President Trump, it turns out, was often his own agendas undoing.

Weight: 632g
Dimension: 152 x 229 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780226775814