American president Quote by Michael Wolff
““Not taking off his dark overcoat, lending him quite a hulking gangster look, pacing in front of the CIA’s wall of stars for its fallen agents, in front of a crowd of about three hundred agency personnel and a group of White House staffers, and, suddenly, in a mood of sleepless cockiness and pleasure at having a captive crowd, the new president, disregarding his text, launched into what we could confidently call some of the most peculiar remarks ever delivered by an American president. “I know a lot about West Point, I’m a person who very strongly believes in academics. Every time I say I had an uncle who was a great professor at MIT for 35 years, who did a fantastic job in so many ways academically—he was an academic genius—and then they say, Is Donald Trump an intellectual? Trust me, I’m like a smart person.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Fire and Fury by Michael Wolff, 2018
The president’s flamboyant, self‑aggrandizing speech reveals a blend of bravado and insecurity, using academic references to bolster his image.
In simple terms: President boasts about academics to appear smart.
Key Takeaway
Questionify your own claims with evidence.
Themes
politics
ego
communication
image
leadership
Mood
arrogant
defensive
Type
political
anecdotal
When to use this quote
- political rallies
- press conferences
- campaign speeches
Key Concepts
self‑presentation
insecurity
public speaking
Questions to Reflect On
- How does bravado affect public trust?
- When does self‑promotion become counterproductive?
A Different Perspective
Criticism may overlook substantive policy issues.
