WASHINGTON — Most mornings, President Donald Trump gathers business leaders, union executives or others at the White House for made-for-television meetings meant to project the image of a can-do chief executive. The public parts of the meeting are carried in full on cable television, underscoring the ways in which an unconventional new president is using the traditional trappings of the office to his advantage.
Playing the role of president is a crucial skill that doesn’t always come easily to Oval Office occupants. The theater of the presidency can’t fully mask policy fumbles or awkward disputes, but it can shape the way in which a commander in chief is perceived by the public and can help keep anxious political allies in line.
That was particularly evident Tuesday night, when Trump delivered his first address to a joint session of Congress.
The new president stepped into the House chamber with historically low public approval ratings after a turbulent start to his administration. Some Republicans are growing weary of his refusal — or inability — to stop hurling personal insults and his seeming unwillingness to focus on the GOP’s ambitious domestic policy agenda.
Trump responded by embracing both the traditional pomp and decorum of a presidential address. He delivered a restrained and largely optimistic speech, rarely veering off script. In an emotional high point, he singled out the widow of a fallen Navy SEAL who was sitting in the guest box and joined lawmakers in sustained applause for her husband’s sacrifice.
Republicans swooned.
Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty called the address “less Mad Max and more Ronald Reagan.”
To the president’s critics, it was a frustrating reminder that Trump is often judged by a different standard and praised for stylistic shifts that rarely stick.
“For all the past talk of pivots that never happened, the reality is he’s going to benefit like last night from the trappings of the presidency,” said Brian Fallon, a former top communications aide to Hillary Clinton’s campaign.
One of the surprising paradoxes of Trump’s stunning political rise is that the former reality television star hasn’t always succeeded on the biggest stages. He promised a high-wattage show at the Republican National Convention, but the four-day gathering was often disjointed and lacked star power. Trump gave uneven performances in his three debates against Clinton and he stepped on his own inaugural message by complaining that the crowd size wasn’t being accurately covered.
The White House has tried to cast Trump as a president in perpetual motion, filling his days with back-to-back meetings and showcasing relatively minor bill signings and executive actions.