MAGA 'marching orders': Analysis of Trump posts reveals fixation on projects and vendettas

To say that President Donald Trump has a large presence on social media would be a major understatement. It is well known that he not only posts frequently, but uses platforms like Truth Social and X (formerly Twitter) to make proclamations and conduct government affairs. While his posting habits have raised alarm over his temperament and even national security, the president’s allies have attempted to dismiss such concerns. But according to a new NPR analysis of Trump’s posting behavior over the first months of 2026, what’s clear is that while the president’s posts may span wide-ranging topics, they tend to emphasize his anger and central obsession: himself.

According to NPR, “Trump posted 2,249 times in the first four months of 2026, an average of just under 19 posts per day.” His most frequent topic was the upcoming midterms and other 2026 elections, but these were just as likely to be candidate endorsements as they were to be “screeds” against his political enemies. His next most frequent topics were Iran, the economy, conspiracies about Minnesota’s social safety net programs, the SAVE Act and his belief that the justice system had been weaponized against him.

“To the degree that his posts measure what he's thinking about,” notes NPR, “the president's social media feed suggests he is as preoccupied — or even more so — with his personal projects and vendettas than he is with pressing policy matters.”

As evidence of this, NPR shared examples of the posting disparity between his personal obsessions and matters of public concern.

“President Trump posted about the 2020 election 71 times in the first four months of 2026, more than he posted even about tariffs… Those 2020 election posts all promoted the lie that via massive voter fraud or other malfeasance, Joe Biden stole that election. Trump posted 68 times about his various Washington D.C., building projects, including his White House ballroom and a proposed massive arch across the Potomac near Arlington National Cemetery. That's slightly more than he posted about Venezuela, more than he posted about the SAVE Act he's promoting and more than he posted about protesters and federal agents in Minneapolis, including federal agents killing two U.S. citizens. He posted more than six times as often (105) about his various legal grievances than he did about healthcare policy (17). Also notable are the topics that get little attention. While tariffs and the war in Iran do affect, for example, the farm economy, Trump posted just four times specifically about American farming during the first four months of the year – less than half as many times as he posted (nine times) about his anger at comedian Bill Maher.”

NPR’s analysis also found that “the length of his posts correlates to Trump's anger.” He tends to share extremely long posts when he’s notably under pressure, feeling threatened or lashing out against enemies, such as his recent attacks against allies turned critics Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly and Alex Jones, one of which ranted for more than 2,700 characters.

Through it all, says NPR, “What emerged is a portrait of an extremely online president with scattered focus — who, even while he dealt with fallout from his policies such as war in Iran and immigration enforcement in Minneapolis, was also busy insulting his critics, posting pictures of his proposed ballroom and continuing to insist on the lie that he won the 2020 election. The president also has unorthodox posting habits that illustrate that, even as arguably the most powerful person on earth, he remains focused on how he is seen.”

What’s more, Trump’s posting behavior has raised concerns over national security. To that end, his first term National Security Advisor John Bolton shared an anecdote: "My deputy was there when [Trump] was shown — this is in 2019 — overhead pictures of a failed Iranian missile launch. And he said to the intelligence briefer, can I keep this picture? And she said, 'Well, yes, but it's very sensitive, Mr. President.' He said, 'Okay.' And about 20 minutes after they left, he tweeted the picture out with some of the markings still on the picture." That photo was classified and “potentially helped America's adversaries, including Iran and Russia, because it revealed U.S. satellite capabilities.”

Those in the president’s orbit dismiss his posts as a personality quirk, while others argue that it’s an intentional communication strategy. Said Republican strategist Eric James Wilson, "I think really the best way to understand it is this is where you get your marching orders if you're MAGA.”

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