Abstract
This article examines the rhetorical structure of Donald Trump's Twitter communications during the 2016 presidential campaign. The analysis identifies several recurring frames and themes and traces how these elements intersect with one another to build a narrative that depicts a world overrun with dire threats and institutional failures, providing a symbolic context for outlandish rhetoric, self‐praise, and espousal of far‐reaching punitive policies portrayed as necessary to protect idealized morality and social order. Findings suggest new ways to assess the content of Trump's frequent tweets while also considering what the success of his “gonzo” story may reveal about modern political communication and the media ecosystem.
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