--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Here was, arguably, the central issue of…" description: "\"“Here was, arguably, the central issue of the Trump presidency, informing every aspect of Trumpian policy and leadership: he didn’t process information..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f0/michael-wolff-423_attention-span_here-was-arguably-the-central-issue-of-t_1489220.jpg" --- # Here was, arguably, the central issue of the Trump… ![“Here was, arguably, the central issue of the Trump presidency, informing every aspect of Trumpian policy and leadership: he didn’t process information in any conventional sense—or, in a way, he didn’t process it at all. Trump didn’t read. He didn’t really even skim. If it was print, it might as…” quote by Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f0/michael-wolff-423_attention-span_here-was-arguably-the-central-issue-of-t_1489220.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f0/michael-wolff-423_attention-span_here-was-arguably-the-central-issue-of-t_1489220.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f0/michael-wolff-423_attention-span_here-was-arguably-the-central-issue-of-t_1489220.jpg) > ““Here was, arguably, the central issue of the Trump presidency, informing every aspect of Trumpian policy and leadership: he didn’t process information in any conventional sense—or, in a way, he didn’t process it at all. Trump didn’t read. He didn’t really even skim. If it was print, it might as well not exist. Some believed that for all practical purposes he was no more than semiliterate. (There was some argument about this, because he could read headlines and articles about himself, or at least headlines on articles about himself, and the gossip squibs on the New York Post’s Page Six.) Some thought him dyslexic; certainly his comprehension was limited. Others concluded that he didn’t read because he just didn’t have to, and that in fact this was one of his key attributes as a populist. He was postliterate—total television. But not only didn’t he read, he didn’t listen. He preferred to be the person talking. And he trusted his own expertise—no matter how paltry or irrelevant—more than anyone else’s. What’s more, he had an extremely short attention span, even when he thought you were worthy of attention.”” [Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Trump’s leadership was driven by a refusal to engage with written or spoken information, relying instead on television and personal intuition, which limited his comprehension and attention. **In simple terms:** Trump ignored reading and listening, relying on TV and intuition. Key Takeaway Recognize the danger of dismissing information sources. Themes leadership communication media populism information processing Mood critical analytical skeptical Type observational critical When to use this quote - political analysis - media criticism - leadership training - public speaking - information literacy Key Concepts cognitive bias attention span media influence Questions to Reflect On - How does avoiding information affect leadership credibility? - What alternatives could improve informed decision‑making? A Different Perspective His approach may have amplified misinformation and reduced nuanced decision‑making. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention span](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention-span/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) ## Related quotes > [“the central issue of the Trump presidency, informing every aspect of Trumpian policy and leadership: he didn’t process information in any conventional sense—or, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolff/the-central-issue-of-the-trump-presidency-informing-every-aspect-of/) [Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/) > [If you look at the polls, for all the talk about immigration and even trade, ObamaCare was an extremely important issue for Trump voters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kristol/if-you-look-at-the-polls-for-all-the-talk-about-immigration-and-even/) [William Kristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kristol/) > [When polled on Donald Trump's agenda, though pluralities of young people oppose his policies on immigration and healthcare, there is one issue where Trump's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-soltis-anderson/when-polled-on-donald-trump-s-agenda-though-pluralities-of-young/) [Kristen Soltis Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-soltis-anderson/) > [One fundamental issue which Trump did take advantage of was the increasing disparities of income in the United States. 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