---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Once the public loses confidence in a…"
description: "\"Once the public loses confidence in a president's leadership at a time of war, once they don't trust him anymore, once his credibility is sharply dimin..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ab/robert-dallek-3456_anymore_once-the-public-loses-confidence-in-a-pr_668341.png"
---

#  Once the public loses confidence in a president's…

![“Once the public loses confidence in a president's leadership at a time of war, once they don't trust him anymore, once his credibility is sharply diminished, how does he get it back?” quote by Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ab/robert-dallek-3456_anymore_once-the-public-loses-confidence-in-a-pr_668341.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ab/robert-dallek-3456_anymore_once-the-public-loses-confidence-in-a-pr_668341.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ab/robert-dallek-3456_anymore_once-the-public-loses-confidence-in-a-pr_668341.png)

> “Once the public loses confidence in a president's leadership at a time of war, once they don't trust him anymore, once his credibility is sharply diminished, how does he get it back?”

[Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

When a leader loses public trust during conflict, restoring credibility is extremely difficult and requires consistent, transparent actions over time.

**In simple terms:** Leadership credibility erodes quickly in war and is hard to rebuild.

Key Takeaway

Rebuild trust through honesty, accountability, and consistent performance.

Themes

trust trust war leadership

Mood

anxious hopeful

Type

political strategic

When to use this quote

- Military decision making
- public communication
- policy implementation
- reconciliation efforts

Key Concepts

Political legitimacy public opinion crisis management

Questions to Reflect On

- What concrete steps can a president take to regain trust?
- How does media framing affect credibility restoration?

A Different Perspective

Even with transparency, deep skepticism may persist and recovery can be slow.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Anymore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anymore/) [Back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/back/) [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Confidence President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence-president-2072320/) [Credibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/credibility/) [Credibility Sharply](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/credibility-sharply-5311639/) [Diminished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diminished/) [Does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/does/) [Get](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get/) [He](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/he/) [Him](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/him/) [His](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/his/) [How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/how/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Loses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loses/) [Loses Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loses-confidence-1647611/) [Once](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/once/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [President Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president-leadership-1104198/) [Public](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public/) [Sharply](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sharply/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Trust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/)

## Related quotes

> [What's the worst thing that can happen to a quarterback? He loses his confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-bradshaw/what-s-the-worst-thing-that-can-happen-to-a-quarterback-he-loses-his/)

[Terry Bradshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-bradshaw/)

> [A player senses when a coach loses confidence in him. That, more than anything, can throw a player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-korver/a-player-senses-when-a-coach-loses-confidence-in-him-that-more-than/)

[Kyle Korver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-korver/)

> [I can say with some confidence that President Zardari's legacy will be written in golden words. I don't say this as his son, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bilawal-bhutto-zardari/i-can-say-with-some-confidence-that-president-zardari-s-legacy-will/)

[Bilawal Bhutto Zardari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bilawal-bhutto-zardari/)

> [The American people deserve to have absolute confidence in their President. They deserve to know that he or she can perform the duties demanded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronny-jackson/the-american-people-deserve-to-have-absolute-confidence-in-their/)

[Ronny Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronny-jackson/)

> [ Predictability would also seem to inspire confidence that a President \[Donald\] Trump would refrain from deciding to respond with overwhelming force when he is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/predictability-would-also-seem-to-inspire-confidence-that-a-president/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [The Cold War is over. The kind of authority that the presidents asserted during the Cold War has now been diminished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/the-cold-war-is-over-the-kind-of-authority-that-the-presidents/)

[Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/)

> [Because of the president's leadership, every American will have access to affordable, quality health care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahm-emanuel/because-of-the-president-s-leadership-every-american-will-have-access/)

[Rahm Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahm-emanuel/)

> [I am proud of the President's leadership. I am proud to support him in saying: Yes, we are going to do what is necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-bailey-hutchison/i-am-proud-of-the-president-s-leadership-i-am-proud-to-support-him-in/)

[Kay Bailey Hutchison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-bailey-hutchison/)

> [The important thing is that we recognize our President's leadership, that he is not saying: I am going to walk away from this. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-bailey-hutchison/the-important-thing-is-that-we-recognize-our-president-s-leadership/)

[Kay Bailey Hutchison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-bailey-hutchison/)

> [The fact is five months ago this was an issue that people weren't really talking that much about. Because of the president's leadership, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-mehlman/the-fact-is-five-months-ago-this-was-an-issue-that-people-weren-t/)

[Ken Mehlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-mehlman/)

> [Believe me, having served two great presidents, when the fog of uncertainty that surrounds the crisis storms into the White House and all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahm-emanuel/believe-me-having-served-two-great-presidents-when-the-fog-of/)

[Rahm Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahm-emanuel/)

> [“These inroads let me understand, and mark sharply. Over what? Over brilliant quietness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-f-langley/these-inroads-let-me-understand-and-mark-sharply-over-what-over/)

[R.F. Langley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-f-langley/)

> [It should consist of short, sharply focused sentences, each of which is a whole scene in itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/it-should-consist-of-short-sharply-focused-sentences-each-of-which-is/)

[Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/)

> [The instant I reach Heaven, I'm going to speak to God very sharply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/the-instant-i-reach-heaven-i-m-going-to-speak-to-god-very-sharply/)

[H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/)

> [It's certainly a cliche to remark that a nonfiction book 'reads just like a novel,' but in the case of Jonathan Eig's 'The Birth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-di-filippo/it-s-certainly-a-cliche-to-remark-that-a-nonfiction-book-reads-just/)

[Paul Di Filippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-di-filippo/)

## More by Robert Dallek

> [Harry Truman wrote scathing letters, but he almost never sent them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/harry-truman-wrote-scathing-letters-but-he-almost-never-sent-them/)

[Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/)

> [Don't be intimidated by people who seem to be experts. Hear their points of view and get their judgements. But at the end of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/don-t-be-intimidated-by-people-who-seem-to-be-experts-hear-their/)

[Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/)

> [During his presidency, Truman and the Republicans were locked in a series of furious assaults on each other that outraged him and made Truman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/during-his-presidency-truman-and-the-republicans-were-locked-in-a/)

[Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/)

> [Experience helped Richard Nixon, but it didn't save him, and it certainly wasn't a blanket endorsement. He blundered terribly in dealing with Vietnam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/experience-helped-richard-nixon-but-it-didn-t-save-him-and-it/)

[Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/)

> [When Gingrich attacked CNN's John King for bringing up his alleged proposal of an open marriage to his second wife, Gingrich accused him of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/when-gingrich-attacked-cnn-s-john-king-for-bringing-up-his-alleged/)

[Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/)

> [In seeking an empire of liberty, Jefferson wished not only to expand the country's territorial holdings, but also to extend American institutions around the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/in-seeking-an-empire-of-liberty-jefferson-wished-not-only-to-expand/)

[Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/)

> [Like Lyndon Johnson, President Obama understands that timidity in a time of troubles is a prescription for failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/like-lyndon-johnson-president-obama-understands-that-timidity-in-a/)

[Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/)

> [Despite its flaws, the American electoral system has produced Lincoln, the two Roosevelts, and Harry Truman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/despite-its-flaws-the-american-electoral-system-has-produced-lincoln/)

[Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/)

> [For those of us who cry out for gun control, our fears cannot be eliminated as long as the country remains an armed camp…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/for-those-of-us-who-cry-out-for-gun-control-our-fears-cannot-be/)

[Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/)

> [The Atlantic conference in the North Atlantic off Newfoundland is a dramatic moment in World War II history because for the first time, Roosevelt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/the-atlantic-conference-in-the-north-atlantic-off-newfoundland-is-a/)

[Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/)

> [For style and for creating a mood of optimism and hope - Kennedy on that count is as effective as any president the country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/for-style-and-for-creating-a-mood-of-optimism-and-hope-kennedy-on/)

[Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/)

> [As for Vietnam, what matters is that Kennedy successfully resisted pressure to send anything more than military advisers, a stance that was a likely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/as-for-vietnam-what-matters-is-that-kennedy-successfully-resisted/)

[Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/)

> [Access to presidential materials should be as wide as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/access-to-presidential-materials-should-be-as-wide-as-possible/)

[Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/)

> [I think experience is a terribly overrated idea when it comes to thinking about who should become president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/i-think-experience-is-a-terribly-overrated-idea-when-it-comes-to/)

[Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/)

> [By the time a second term rolls around, the illusions about a president have largely evaporated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/by-the-time-a-second-term-rolls-around-the-illusions-about-a/)

[Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/)

[Explore all 130 Robert Dallek quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/)

## More Anymore quotes

> [What I do miss that I don't get anymore? You're going to think I'm crazy, but you want the truth, so here it is.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-mandrell/what-i-do-miss-that-i-don-t-get-anymore-you-re-going-to-think-i-m/)

[Barbara Mandrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-mandrell/)

> [When you can't dunk anymore, you have to find a way to make it into the news.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manu-ginobili/when-you-can-t-dunk-anymore-you-have-to-find-a-way-to-make-it-into/)

[Manu Ginobili](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manu-ginobili/)

> [My life had been defined by the apartheid years. Now we were going into an era of democracy... and I believed that I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athol-fugard/my-life-had-been-defined-by-the-apartheid-years-now-we-were-going/)

[Athol Fugard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athol-fugard/)

> [There needs to be some regime that is overseeing access to broadband to make sure we have openess; otherwise, there is a risk it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vint-cerf/there-needs-to-be-some-regime-that-is-overseeing-access-to-broadband/)

[Vint Cerf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vint-cerf/)

> [“I don’t know who she is anymore, or who she was, but I need to find her”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-don-t-know-who-she-is-anymore-or-who-she-was-but-i-need-to-find-her/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [I'm not in the movie business anymore, and hardly any 70 year olds are. I always ask the producers: 'Are there no 70-year old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-dennehy/i-m-not-in-the-movie-business-anymore-and-hardly-any-70-year-olds-are/)

[Brian Dennehy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-dennehy/)

> [“I don't have much anymore, but I'll give you everything I got.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendall-grey/i-don-t-have-much-anymore-but-i-ll-give-you-everything-i-got/)

[Kendall Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendall-grey/)

> [I don't really write songs anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-vernon/i-don-t-really-write-songs-anymore/)

[Justin Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-vernon/)

> [I don't need to prove anything in that ring anymore. I've done all that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diamond-dallas-page/i-don-t-need-to-prove-anything-in-that-ring-anymore-i-ve-done-all-that/)

[Diamond Dallas Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diamond-dallas-page/)

> [Time starts out as a notion. But after you turn fifty, time is not a notion anymore but a fact that you start feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/time-starts-out-as-a-notion-but-after-you-turn-fifty-time-is-not-a/)

[Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/)

> [Some days, I think maybe we should try and be a little more conventional, but every time I try, I fail, so I'm learning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seinabo-sey/some-days-i-think-maybe-we-should-try-and-be-a-little-more/)

[Seinabo Sey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seinabo-sey/)

> [Every year, you have to keep adjusting. I'm 28; I'm not 19 anymore. You have to work harder now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-hernandez/every-year-you-have-to-keep-adjusting-i-m-28-i-m-not-19-anymore-you/)

[Felix Hernandez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-hernandez/)

> [“Let go of those thoughts that do not serve you anymore.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/let-go-of-those-thoughts-that-do-not-serve-you-anymore/)

[Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/)

> [“Always fight until you can't anymore, and then be fought for...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerose/always-fight-until-you-can-t-anymore-and-then-be-fought-for/)

[Jerose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerose/)

> [It's just madness. First email. Then instant message. Then MySpace. Then Facebook. Then LinkedIn. Then Twitter. It's not enough anymore to 'Just do it.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/it-s-just-madness-first-email-then-instant-message-then-myspace-then/)

[Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/)

[Browse all 1,192 Anymore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anymore/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Once the public loses confidence in a president's leadership at a time of war, once they don't trust him anymore, once his credibility is sharply diminished, how does he get it back?",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Robert Dallek"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/once-the-public-loses-confidence-in-a-president-s-leadership-at-a/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Anymore"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/once-the-public-loses-confidence-in-a-president-s-leadership-at-a/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ab/robert-dallek-3456_anymore_once-the-public-loses-confidence-in-a-pr_668341.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ab/robert-dallek-3456_anymore_once-the-public-loses-confidence-in-a-pr_668341.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ab/robert-dallek-3456_anymore_once-the-public-loses-confidence-in-a-pr_668341.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Once the public loses confidence in a president's leadership at a time of war, once they don't trust him…” — Robert Dallek",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Robert Dallek",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Once the public loses confidence in...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/once-the-public-loses-confidence-in-a-president-s-leadership-at-a/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/once-the-public-loses-confidence-in-a-president-s-leadership-at-a/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
