--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never give them hell. I just tell the…" description: "\"I never give them hell. I just tell the truth and they think it's hell.\" — Harry S Truman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/280/harry-s-truman-2-7445_hell_i-never-give-them-hell-i-just-tell-the-t_2633301.png" --- # I never give them hell. I just tell the truth and they… ![“I never give them hell. I just tell the truth and they think it's hell.” quote by Harry S Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/280/harry-s-truman-2-7445_hell_i-never-give-them-hell-i-just-tell-the-t_2633301.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/280/harry-s-truman-2-7445_hell_i-never-give-them-hell-i-just-tell-the-t_2633301.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/280/harry-s-truman-2-7445_hell_i-never-give-them-hell-i-just-tell-the-t_2633301.png) > “I never give them hell. I just tell the truth and they think it's hell.” [Harry S Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Truth may be harsh, but it’s necessary; honesty can feel like hell to listeners. **In simple terms:** He tells truth that feels harsh to others. Key Takeaway Deliver truth even when it’s uncomfortable. Themes truth honesty communication discomfort leadership Mood direct serious Type political motivational When to use this quote - press briefings - policy announcements - public statements Key Concepts politics ethics public speaking Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance honesty with empathy? - When is candor more harmful than helpful? A Different Perspective Truth can alienate audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) [Hell Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell-just-408205/) [Tell Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tell-truth/) [Think Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-hell-408203/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [“I think that if there is a hell it's just a place where you're left all alone, with nobody around you. Man, when you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolfo-anaya/i-think-that-if-there-is-a-hell-it-s-just-a-place-where-you-re-left/) [Rudolfo Anaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolfo-anaya/) > [I never gave anybody hell! I just told the truth and they thought it was hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman-2/i-never-gave-anybody-hell-i-just-told-the-truth-and-they-thought-it/) [Harry S Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman-2/) > [I never did give anybody hell. I just told the truth and they thought it was hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman-2/i-never-did-give-anybody-hell-i-just-told-the-truth-and-they-thought/) [Harry S Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman-2/) > [I never did give them hell. I just told the truth, and they thought it was hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman-2/i-never-did-give-them-hell-i-just-told-the-truth-and-they-thought-it/) [Harry S Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman-2/) > [“I'd tell him to go to hell, but it just so happens I'm stuck there and don't want to have to see him every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/i-d-tell-him-to-go-to-hell-but-it-just-so-happens-i-m-stuck-there-and/) [Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/) > [I think hell's a real place where real people spend a real eternity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-falwell/i-think-hell-s-a-real-place-where-real-people-spend-a-real-eternity/) [Jerry Falwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-falwell/) > [I never see thy face but I think upon hell-fire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-never-see-thy-face-but-i-think-upon-hell-fire/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I actually think there is hell because we see hell every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/i-actually-think-there-is-hell-because-we-see-hell-every-day/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [I think that hell essentially is separation from God forever. And that is the worst hell that I can think of. But I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/i-think-that-hell-essentially-is-separation-from-god-forever-and-that/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [“You think You're frightening me with Your hell, don't You? You think Your hell is worse than mine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/you-think-you-re-frightening-me-with-your-hell-don-t-you-you-think/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [“Many times, I ask people, “When you die, what do you think is out there? What do you think happens when you die?” They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-cahill/many-times-i-ask-people-when-you-die-what-do-you-think-is-out-there/) [Mark Cahill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-cahill/) > [This girl is stuck up in the world on her own, Forced to think that hell is a place called home, Nothin else to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige-2/this-girl-is-stuck-up-in-the-world-on-her-own-forced-to-think-that/) [Mary J Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige-2/) > [Just as many who were brought up to think of God as a bearded old gentleman sitting on a cloud decided that when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/just-as-many-who-were-brought-up-to-think-of-god-as-a-bearded-old/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't think hell exists. I happen to believe in life after death but I don't think it's got a thing to do with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/i-don-t-think-hell-exists-i-happen-to-believe-in-life-after-death-but/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [“I think you go to some hell for that. One o'the bad ones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/i-think-you-go-to-some-hell-for-that-one-o-the-bad-ones/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) ## More by Harry S Truman > [A statesman is a politician who has been dead ten or fifteen years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman-2/a-statesman-is-a-politician-who-has-been-dead-ten-or-fifteen-years/) [Harry S Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman-2/) > [We're going to be buried out here. I like the idea because I may just want to get up some day and stroll into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman-2/we-re-going-to-be-buried-out-here-i-like-the-idea-because-i-may-just/) [Harry S Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman-2/) > [Most of the problems a President has to face have their roots in the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman-2/most-of-the-problems-a-president-has-to-face-have-their-roots-in-the/) [Harry S Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman-2/) > [I've said many a time that I think the Un-American Activities Committee in the House of Representatives was the most un-American thing in America!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman-2/i-ve-said-many-a-time-that-i-think-the-un-american-activities/) [Harry S Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman-2/) > [We shall never be able to remove suspicion and fear as potential causes of war until communication is permitted to flow, free and open,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman-2/we-shall-never-be-able-to-remove-suspicion-and-fear-as-potential/) [Harry S Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman-2/) > [Intense feeling too often obscures the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman-2/intense-feeling-too-often-obscures-the-truth/) [Harry S Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman-2/) > [It is understanding that gives us an ability to have peace. When we understand the other fellow's viewpoint, and he understands ours, then we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman-2/it-is-understanding-that-gives-us-an-ability-to-have-peace-when-we/) [Harry S Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman-2/) > [Whenever you put a man on the Supreme Court he ceases to be your friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman-2/whenever-you-put-a-man-on-the-supreme-court-he-ceases-to-be-your/) [Harry S Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman-2/) > [It sure is hell to be president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman-2/it-sure-is-hell-to-be-president/) [Harry S Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman-2/) > [I would rather have peace in the world than be President.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman-2/i-would-rather-have-peace-in-the-world-than-be-president/) [Harry S Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman-2/) > [The only things worth learning are the things you learn after you know it all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman-2/the-only-things-worth-learning-are-the-things-you-learn-after-you/) [Harry S Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman-2/) > [You can never get all the facts from just one newspaper, and unless you have all the facts, you cannot make proper judgements about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman-2/you-can-never-get-all-the-facts-from-just-one-newspaper-and-unless/) [Harry S Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman-2/) > [In reading the lives of great men, I found that the first victory they won was over themselves... self-discipline with all of them came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman-2/in-reading-the-lives-of-great-men-i-found-that-the-first-victory-they/) [Harry S Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman-2/) > [A politician is a man who understands government. A statesman is a politician who's been dead for 15 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman-2/a-politician-is-a-man-who-understands-government-a-statesman-is-a/) [Harry S Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman-2/) > [Experience has shown how deeply the seeds of war are planted by economic rivalry and social injustice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman-2/experience-has-shown-how-deeply-the-seeds-of-war-are-planted-by/) [Harry S Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman-2/) [Explore all 91 Harry S Truman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman-2/) ## More Hell quotes > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [Some people give you that motivation to work harder simply to get the hell away from wherever they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/some-people-give-you-that-motivation-to-work-harder-simply-to-get-the/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“Hell is only loneliness, a place without play for the soul, a place without God. How could there be God in loneliness when God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-thayer-hamann/hell-is-only-loneliness-a-place-without-play-for-the-soul-a-place/) [Hilary Thayer Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-thayer-hamann/) > [Just when I thought that I was gtting better, boy was I wrong.. Things just turned to hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cupecake/just-when-i-thought-that-i-was-gtting-better-boy-was-i-wrong-things/) [Cupecake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cupecake/) > [I believe that on any trip to heaven, there are always detours through hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-finney/i-believe-that-on-any-trip-to-heaven-there-are-always-detours-through/) [Richard Finney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-finney/) > [Every saved person this side of heaven owes the gospel to every lost person this side of hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/every-saved-person-this-side-of-heaven-owes-the-gospel-to-every-lost/) [David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/) > [I'm what is known as gradually disintegrating. I don't fear the next world, or anything. I don't fear hell, and I don't look forward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/i-m-what-is-known-as-gradually-disintegrating-i-don-t-fear-the-next/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [Hey...Hey...What's up?. Nothing much, you? Nothing. K!..What the hell was the point of this communication?...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hey-hey-what-s-up-nothing-much-you-nothing-k-what-the-hell-was-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ Except in these latter-day songs, \[Bob\] Dylan is a grizzled old prophet who's already been to hell and back. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-michaelson/except-in-these-latter-day-songs-bob-dylan-is-a-grizzled-old-prophet/) [Jay Michaelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-michaelson/) > [...it was a huge creature, luminous, ghastly, and spectral. I have cross-examined these men, one of them a hard-headed countryman, one a farrier, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/it-was-a-huge-creature-luminous-ghastly-and-spectral-i-have-cross/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“ALAS, IF ALL HUMANS WERE WISE AND HAD MORE GOOD WILL THE WORLD WOULD BE A PARADISE NOW IT IS MOSTLY A HELL”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/alas-if-all-humans-were-wise-and-had-more-good-will-the-world-would/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [There's little in taking or giving, There's little in water or wine: This living, this living, this living, Was never a project of mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-little-in-taking-or-giving-there-s-little-in-water-or-wine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [It is through suppression that hells are formed in us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-glaspell/it-is-through-suppression-that-hells-are-formed-in-us/) [Susan Glaspell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-glaspell/) > [Beware of self-indulgence. The romance surrounding the writing profession carries several myths: that one must suffer in order to be creative; that one must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/beware-of-self-indulgence-the-romance-surrounding-the-writing/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) [Browse all 8,212 Hell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I never give them hell. 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