There is something distinctly goofy about the idea of the most famous person in the world, the former and possibly future president of the United States, shaking a fry basket at McDonald’s one day and riding in a garbage truck the next.
However, as goofy as it seems, that is exactly what former President Donald Trump has done as he campaigns to recapture the job he lost four years ago. More than that, he managed to turn each moment into an indelible image that lasted much longer than the moment.
On Wednesday, Trump served up yet another iconic photo moment when he ditched his suit jacket and donned an orange safety vest over his trademark dress shirt and red tie. Then, he climbed into a garbage truck, sat in the passenger’s seat, and held an impromptu press conference through the passenger side window.
It was a moment so unbelievable it had to be seen to be believed. However, it created yet another viral moment and image in a campaign that has been full of them.
Part of what has made the Trump era so memorable is his unrivaled ability to create a viral photograph. It is a pattern that dates back to his time as a candidate in 2016. It continued through his presidency and, in 2024, has delivered some of the most iconic images in political campaign history.
In 2016, the silhouette of Trump stepped out to the crowd at the Republican National Convention in a show of pageantry the political stage has never seen. As president, his viral images included touching a glowing white orb while on a state visit to Saudi Arabia, stepping over the border at the 38th Parallel into North Korea at the invitation of Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un, and a photo op with the bible at St. John’s church during the 2020 riots.
Since his return to the campaign trail last year, Trump has delivered even more incredibly memorable moments, not least of which was the image of his defiantly raised fist with blood streaming down his face moments after narrowly escaping death at the hands of an assassin’s bullet.
Images are influential. A well-posed and curated picture provides the viewer with a lasting memory and a powerful association. The image of Trump raising his fist after the assassination attempt is now so recognizable that even someone who is politically disengaged will immediately know what it is.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The images of Trump poking his head out of the McDonald’s drive-thru window and, most recently, out of the passenger side window of a garbage truck emblazoned with campaign livery and adorned with American flags, the day after President Joe Biden called his supporters “garbage,” have quickly become defining images of the 2024 presidential campaign’s final weeks.
Running a successful political campaign is as much about cultivating a public image as it is about policy promises. Trump has spent decades in the public eye, cultivating a public image as a businessman turned reality TV show host. It has served him well in the political arena as he has perfected the art of making a memorable photograph.