WASHINGTON (AP) – 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.
Trump sits at the center of one of the White House’s ornate meeting rooms, offers brief remarks and invites assembled journalists to stick around to hear his guests praise his plans. Few tangible policy decisions emerge from the listening sessions. But 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.