Trump absolute terms up 19% in decade, NYT analysis finds
President Donald Trump used absolute terms such as “always,” “never,” and “completely” 19% more frequently in public remarks than he did a decade ago, according to an artificial intelligence-backed analysis published by the New York Times on Nov. 1. The review examined speeches, campaign rallies, social media posts, interviews, and public meeting transcripts from Trump’s initial 2015 presidential campaign through the present. The analysis noted that such black-and-white reasoning often appears as individuals age or experience cognitive decline. Trump turned 80 years old in June. The review showed these absolute expressions are used 5% more frequently than they were in 2024.
Vocabulary Level and Swearing Frequencies Across Ten Years
Swearing in his remarks increased from six instances per 10,000 words a decade ago to roughly 15 instances in recent addresses. Writing for YTN, reporters noted that Trump’s second-term campaign speeches featured ramblings, disjointed transitions, and personal attacks at 2.5 times the rate observed during his 2016 run. Average speech durations lengthened from 42 minutes a decade ago to 85 minutes, accompanied by binary, black-and-white phrasing that linguistic experts cited by the New York Times connect to potential cognitive aging. Trump’s vocabulary level and speaking proficiency remain at a fourth- to fifth-grade elementary school level, whereas the average modern U.S. president speaks at approximately an eighth-grade middle school level.
Trump Posts More Frequently During Late Night Hours
Public records show that Trump’s official daily public events averaged 2.1 appearances per day during his first term, dropping to 1.3 appearances during his second term. Yonhap News noted that daily post volume averaged 21 items, compared with 13 in 2016 and 34 during the period two years prior. During his second term, Trump published social media posts between midnight and 5 a.m. on roughly 30% of working days, including 240 separate instances where he issued more than 10 posts within a single hour.
Stump Speech Remarks and Incidents on the Campaign Trail
Recent campaign events ahead of the U.S. midterm elections featured inflammatory remarks that drew criticism from political opponents and scrutiny from major media outlets. YTN and Yonhap News highlighted several instances, including campaign stops where Trump praised the physical appearance of male political candidates and made explicit comments about the body of rapper Nicki Minaj. During a Michigan rally, Trump referred to Norway as a “trash country” after not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, and on separate occasions directed hostile remarks at journalists questioning his statements, telling reporters to improve their physical health. During an October 12 campaign event, Trump remarked, I started staring right at Husted’s body, looking him up and down, checking out his ass and his whole body.
In another instance involving a journalist, Trump shouted, Listen, I didn’t point at you. Whoever the hell you are, you better be careful.
Former Republican Representative Francis Rooney criticized the statements, stating, The president says stupid things, outrageously aggressive things, without hesitation,
and adding that he had never heard such aggressive expressions from past presidents.
White House Cites Perfect Cognitive Assessment Score
White House officials firmly rejected assertions regarding diminished mental acuity or aging risks. Davis Engle, the White House communications director, stated that the president maintains sharp judgment, unmatched energy, and a transparent connection with the American public, as reported by Yonhap News. The administration pointed to a May medical examination report indicating that Trump earned a perfect score of 30 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, a screening tool for Alzheimer’s and cognitive impairment. Trump asserted during an Ohio rally that former presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden would have failed the same examination.
Trump Threatens to Veto Legislation If Democrats Win
As voters head to the polls for the Nov. 3 midterm elections, Trump acknowledged the possibility of a Republican congressional defeat during campaign events covered by YTN, warning that if Democrats capture majorities, he will act as “Mr. Veto” to block opposition legislation.