Trump’s new world order of media relations

Donald Trump as John Miller

Donald Trump may be disrupting the way presidential campaigns are run, but is he now rewriting the rules when it comes to media relations?

The Washington Post reported recently on a taped interview between a reporter for People magazine and the real estate developer on the subject of his recent divorce and hiatus with then flame Marla Maples. Even a quarter century later, the interview resonates as quintessential Trump: unrestrained bravado about his wealth, full-throated braggadocio on his romantic allure – all delivered with the verbal swagger of a man clearly enjoying the attention.

But Trump acting like Trump was not the news. What put the recording on the Post’s radar was the fact that Trump spoke to the reporter, not as himself, but as some spurious PR flack named John Miller. Never mind that the voice on the tape is hauntingly familiar. Forget the fact that, despite claiming to be “part time” and “new” to Trump’s employ, Miller has incredibly detailed insight into The Donald’s romantic history and can confidently channel Trump’s feelings toward this woman or that. Want to know about Madonna’s overtures toward the newly divorced magnate? Miller has the skinny. What’s the status of Trump’s relationship with Carla Bruni? Miller can give you the downlow. In fact, there’s not a question on the tape that Miller is not able to address, irrespective of the fact that nothing about the interview was related to Trump’s business interests. No need to check with the boss to get clarification. No need to get back to the reporter later with additional context. No deflecting a sensitive question into the ether. No anxiety over the prospect of being misquoted.

In effect, Trump has reinvented the media relations paradigm, and has done so with great simplicity and efficiency. Think of it: under the new Trumpian approach to dealing with the media, media relations folks like us needn’t spend hours getting briefed by our clients or internal experts on how to best answer one question or another as their proxy. We are free from worry that we could be mischaracterizing our client’s position to a reporter or that our memories have failed us on one of the more nuanced points. Consider how much time we’ll be saving without having to prepare those pesky FAQs to make sure everyone is answering questions the same way. And speaking of time savings, what about the innumerable “I’ll have to get back to you on that one” occasions? They would be a thing of the past.

Instead, all we need do is serve up our experts directly, but with one important change – a concocted pseudonym so as to add to his perceived objectivity. Imagine the possibilities. Your CEO would be able to more freely discuss the “genius” of his stock repurchase plan or new product rollout. Your expert financial whiz could offer up wildly speculative advice about stock picks without having to adhere to SEC boundaries. And you could trash your competitors without having to be held accountable to unfair charges. After all, how do you blame someone who does not exist?

PR people like myself were largely born out of necessity. Company VIPs are understandably too busy doing what makes them VIPs to spend time fielding inquiries from the news media, and it’s up to public relations professionals to serve as the first line of defense – responding where they can on their own, tracking down information, filling in gaps or, if need be, coordinating interviews with higher-ups. That system has worked pretty well for the better part of a century. But when those VIPs put a higher premium on talking to the media than tending to their “day jobs” – when they, as in the case with Trump, get oxygen from seeing their names in print – a new world order takes shape.

That new world order is named John Miller. If you want to get in touch with him, just leave a message. Chances are, he’ll call you back…and soon.

Josh Dare

Josh’s career in communications spans more than four decades. In addition to providing strategic counsel and crisis communications direction to clients, he is the resident Writer-In-Chief, regularly writing op-eds and bylines on behalf of clients that have been published in The Washington Post, The Richmond Times-Dispatch, The Philadelphia Inquirer and Huffington Post, among others.

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