--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think the thing that you've seen with…" description: "\"I think the thing that you've seen with Donald Trump is that he doesn't - he doesn't look to the past and say, 'I've got to conform to these precedents..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d24/sean-spicer-14532_donald-trump_i-think-the-thing-that-you-ve-seen-with_991619.jpg" --- # I think the thing that you've seen with Donald Trump is… ![“I think the thing that you've seen with Donald Trump is that he doesn't - he doesn't look to the past and say, 'I've got to conform to these precedents.'” quote by Sean Spicer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d24/sean-spicer-14532_donald-trump_i-think-the-thing-that-you-ve-seen-with_991619.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d24/sean-spicer-14532_donald-trump_i-think-the-thing-that-you-ve-seen-with_991619.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d24/sean-spicer-14532_donald-trump_i-think-the-thing-that-you-ve-seen-with_991619.jpg) > “I think the thing that you've seen with Donald Trump is that he doesn't - he doesn't look to the past and say, 'I've got to conform to these precedents.'” [Sean Spicer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-spicer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Trump avoids referencing past precedents, preferring to act without being constrained by history. **In simple terms:** He ignores historical guidance. Key Takeaway Consider past lessons before acting. Themes leadership history decisionmaking Mood analytical critical Type political strategic When to use this quote - policy development - strategic planning - leadership training Key Concepts political strategy organizational behavior Questions to Reflect On - What benefits come from learning from history? - When should leaders break from precedent? A Different Perspective Ignoring history can repeat past mistakes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [What we've seen from Donald Trump has been so negative that nobody wants to be associated with that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/what-we-ve-seen-from-donald-trump-has-been-so-negative-that-nobody/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I think what you've seen from Donald Trump is this whole election cycle, there's been a level of misogyny that has become certain and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-simon/i-think-what-you-ve-seen-from-donald-trump-is-this-whole-election/) [David Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-simon/) > [New Yorkers, we've seen Donald Trump for, like, 30 years; we know who he is. So he wasn't a surprise to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/new-yorkers-we-ve-seen-donald-trump-for-like-30-years-we-know-who-he/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [ I've seen \[Donald Trump\] appear in a film or a TV show cameo or the tabloids, and he's a grotesquely distasteful human being and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/i-ve-seen-donald-trump-appear-in-a-film-or-a-tv-show-cameo-or-the/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [I don't think, Donald Trump doesn't think, no one thinks that a foreign entity should be interfering with a foreign election.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-spicer/i-don-t-think-donald-trump-doesn-t-think-no-one-thinks-that-a-foreign/) [Sean Spicer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-spicer/) > [Donald Trump doesn't necessarily stay mad for very long. He's a transactional guy. If you can offer him something, he will take it. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolff/donald-trump-doesn-t-necessarily-stay-mad-for-very-long-he-s-a/) [Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/) > [ So in his very politically-incorrect way, I think \[James Mattis\] is a good counterpart to Donald Trump, who doesn't read books. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/so-in-his-very-politically-incorrect-way-i-think-james-mattis-is-a/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [I hope Donald Trump doesn't become president of the United States and I expect the people of the United States will have the good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/i-hope-donald-trump-doesn-t-become-president-of-the-united-states-and/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [Donald Trump is Donald Trump! He doesn't apologize for who he is. We know he's tacky. We know he's orange. We know he's got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-che/donald-trump-is-donald-trump-he-doesn-t-apologize-for-who-he-is-we/) [Michael Che](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-che/) > [I'd rather look back at my past and say, I can't believe I did that! instead of saying, I wish I did that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/i-d-rather-look-back-at-my-past-and-say-i-can-t-believe-i-did-that/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) > [I've had people come up to me in the past and say they enjoyed whatever show I've been in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-bonneville/i-ve-had-people-come-up-to-me-in-the-past-and-say-they-enjoyed/) [Hugh Bonneville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-bonneville/) > [“Don't worry about the future, sooner or later it's the past. If they say the feeling's gone then it's time to take it back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meat-loaf/don-t-worry-about-the-future-sooner-or-later-it-s-the-past-if-they/) [Meat Loaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meat-loaf/) > [Our duty is to preserve what the past has had to say for itself, and to say for ourselves what shall be true for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/our-duty-is-to-preserve-what-the-past-has-had-to-say-for-itself-and/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [I have said this many times in the past and will say it many times in the future I am sure: some people need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-wales/i-have-said-this-many-times-in-the-past-and-will-say-it-many-times-in/) [Jimmy Wales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-wales/) > [You can't live in the past and say, 'if only.' You have to pick up and move along and make the world better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/you-can-t-live-in-the-past-and-say-if-only-you-have-to-pick-up-and/) [Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/) ## More by Sean Spicer > [If you want to serve in a Trump administration, you're going to serve this country, not yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-spicer/if-you-want-to-serve-in-a-trump-administration-you-re-going-to-serve/) [Sean Spicer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-spicer/) > [It's about being right and trying to get the facts and get the story right, and inform, you know, the readership or the viewership.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-spicer/it-s-about-being-right-and-trying-to-get-the-facts-and-get-the-story/) [Sean Spicer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-spicer/) > [I think when Donald Trump looks at the energy sector, he sees that as a place to really create wealth for this country and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-spicer/i-think-when-donald-trump-looks-at-the-energy-sector-he-sees-that-as/) [Sean Spicer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-spicer/) > [There's no one better to imitate than Carly Fiorina when it comes to a successful woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-spicer/there-s-no-one-better-to-imitate-than-carly-fiorina-when-it-comes-to/) [Sean Spicer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-spicer/) > [Not everybody who supports Donald Trump, not everyone who supports Hilary Clinton, are exactly the kind of people that you want as supporters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-spicer/not-everybody-who-supports-donald-trump-not-everyone-who-supports/) [Sean Spicer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-spicer/) > [Every single person who enters Trump Tower, you get to see them go up, go down, they talk to the press.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-spicer/every-single-person-who-enters-trump-tower-you-get-to-see-them-go-up/) [Sean Spicer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-spicer/) > [Kellyanne is the first female campaign manager of any major party to win a presidential general election. In her position, Kellyanne will continue her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-spicer/kellyanne-is-the-first-female-campaign-manager-of-any-major-party-to/) [Sean Spicer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-spicer/) > [To be clear, any attempt to hack or to do anything nefarious is wrong and illegal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-spicer/to-be-clear-any-attempt-to-hack-or-to-do-anything-nefarious-is-wrong/) [Sean Spicer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-spicer/) > [Why aren't we talking about Hillary Clinton getting debate questions ahead of time? That's a pretty valid attempt to influence an election. Somebody giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-spicer/why-aren-t-we-talking-about-hillary-clinton-getting-debate-questions/) [Sean Spicer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-spicer/) > [Donald Trump did exactly what he said he'd do on the campaign trail and frankly what we should have more of, which is luring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-spicer/donald-trump-did-exactly-what-he-said-he-d-do-on-the-campaign-trail/) [Sean Spicer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-spicer/) > [What are we doing to make sure that people don't get the debate questions ahead of time - because I can tell you this:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-spicer/what-are-we-doing-to-make-sure-that-people-don-t-get-the-debate/) [Sean Spicer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-spicer/) > [I think there's a difference between calling people out and understanding the role that the press plays in a free society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-spicer/i-think-there-s-a-difference-between-calling-people-out-and/) [Sean Spicer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-spicer/) > [I grew up in Rhode Island. Most of my family on both sides is from Rhode Island.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-spicer/i-grew-up-in-rhode-island-most-of-my-family-on-both-sides-is-from/) [Sean Spicer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-spicer/) > [If the charge against me is that I fight to win, and I'm intense, then I'm guilty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-spicer/if-the-charge-against-me-is-that-i-fight-to-win-and-i-m-intense-then/) [Sean Spicer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-spicer/) > [Journalists and everyone in America has a constitutional right to express themselves or write what they want to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-spicer/journalists-and-everyone-in-america-has-a-constitutional-right-to/) [Sean Spicer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-spicer/) [Explore all 46 Sean Spicer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-spicer/) ## More Donald trump quotes > [I'm not here trying to convince anybody to vote for Donald Trump. I think every Christian needs to make up his own mind about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jeffress/i-m-not-here-trying-to-convince-anybody-to-vote-for-donald-trump-i/) [Robert Jeffress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jeffress/) > [ Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. This \[presidential\] election is about every… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-see-something-and-you-ll-be-so/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [We're going to create factory jobs for recent immigrants, and Donald Trump is going to take care of them. That's why his numbers, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/we-re-going-to-create-factory-jobs-for-recent-immigrants-and-donald/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) > [When it comes to bullying small businesses, Donald Trump is the poster boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/when-it-comes-to-bullying-small-businesses-donald-trump-is-the-poster/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Donald Trump has been rewriting the rules since he got into politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-michael-cillizza/donald-trump-has-been-rewriting-the-rules-since-he-got-into-politics/) [Christopher Michael Cillizza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-michael-cillizza/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [At minimum, we must recognize that there are legitimate, unanswered questions about whether the Obama Justice Department involved themselves in a political project targeting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-meadows/at-minimum-we-must-recognize-that-there-are-legitimate-unanswered/) [Mark Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-meadows/) > [ Donald Trump has opened \[ politically correct enforcement\] up wide. He's made a very bold statement and he's backed it back just a little… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/donald-trump-has-opened-politically-correct-enforcement-up-wide-he-s/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [Donald Trump doesn't necessarily stay mad for very long. He's a transactional guy. If you can offer him something, he will take it. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolff/donald-trump-doesn-t-necessarily-stay-mad-for-very-long-he-s-a/) [Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/) > [Donald Trump so far is sending a signal that he's going to run the government like his business and maybe that's going to work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/donald-trump-so-far-is-sending-a-signal-that-he-s-going-to-run-the/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [ If \[Donald\] Trump throws 20 million off of health care, that's going to be - if he handles this badly - and it's very… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/if-donald-trump-throws-20-million-off-of-health-care-that-s-going-to/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [Donald Trump is not going to be the nominee, because we are not going to allow - people will wake up and we're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/donald-trump-is-not-going-to-be-the-nominee-because-we-are-not-going/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [If we turn our backs on the remaining industries and not reinvest in these places and just say 'You're on your own,' we will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fetterman/if-we-turn-our-backs-on-the-remaining-industries-and-not-reinvest-in/) [John Fetterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fetterman/) > [ \[Donald Trump\] knows he's going to get hit, though. He's the president. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megyn-kelly/donald-trump-knows-he-s-going-to-get-hit-though-he-s-the-president/) [Megyn Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megyn-kelly/) Browse all 2,538 Donald trump quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think the thing that you've seen with Donald Trump is that he doesn't - he doesn't look to the past and say, 'I've got to conform to these precedents.'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sean Spicer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-spicer/i-think-the-thing-that-you-ve-seen-with-donald-trump-is-that-he-doesn/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Donald trump" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-spicer/i-think-the-thing-that-you-ve-seen-with-donald-trump-is-that-he-doesn/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d24/sean-spicer-14532_donald-trump_i-think-the-thing-that-you-ve-seen-with_991619.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d24/sean-spicer-14532_donald-trump_i-think-the-thing-that-you-ve-seen-with_991619.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d24/sean-spicer-14532_donald-trump_i-think-the-thing-that-you-ve-seen-with_991619.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think the thing that you've seen with Donald Trump is that he doesn't - he doesn't look to the past and…” — Sean Spicer", "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": "Sean Spicer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-spicer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think the thing that you've...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-spicer/i-think-the-thing-that-you-ve-seen-with-donald-trump-is-that-he-doesn/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-spicer/i-think-the-thing-that-you-ve-seen-with-donald-trump-is-that-he-doesn/#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 } } ] } ```