The Art of Exhaustion: Trump’s Strategy of Desensitization

By Michael Kelman Portney

In a move that can only be described as calculated chaos, the latest round of cabinet appointments by President Trump seems less about governance and more about shock value. It's a tactic that's become all too familiar: nominate individuals so controversial, so fundamentally misaligned with their assigned roles, that the public can’t help but recoil. The endgame? To overwhelm and desensitize us, steering the collective American psyche towards resignation and, ultimately, indifference.

The Strategy of Saturation

Trump's choices for high office are often head-scratchers, marked by a glaring mismatch between the nominee's expertise (or lack thereof) and the department they are meant to lead. This isn't just poor staffing—it's a strategic bombardment of the public's capacity to engage and react. The more outlandish the appointment, the more airtime and energy it consumes, leaving less room for substantive discussion on policy and governance.

Normalizing the Abnormal

What happens when the abnormal becomes the norm? Initially, each controversial appointment sparks outrage and concern. But as these choices continue to pile up, outrage fatigue sets in. The constant state of alarm becomes the new baseline, a phenomenon that dulls the senses and normalizes what would have previously been unacceptable. This normalization is dangerous—it shifts the Overton window, gradually expanding the spectrum of what the public can be made to accept, or ignore.

Diversion and Division

The continual introduction of controversial figures serves another purpose: diversion. While we’re busy debating qualifications and decrying nominations, less visible but equally significant policy shifts go unchecked. Regulatory rollbacks, executive orders, and legislative changes slip under the radar, obscured by the more flamboyant displays of political theater. It’s a classic magician’s trick, directing attention away from where the real action is happening.

The Toll on Engagement

There’s a cost to this perpetual state of discord: public engagement. As citizens tire from the constant need to keep up and speak out, the temptation grows to tune out entirely. This disengagement is perhaps the most insidious effect of Trump’s governance by exhaustion. A populace that is too tired to scrutinize its leaders is less likely to hold them accountable, paving the way for more radical and less democratic actions.

The Call to Resist Complacency

The antidote to desensitization is persistence. It’s essential to recalibrate our responses—not to react less, but to engage more selectively, focusing our energies on the battles that matter most. It means staying informed without becoming overwhelmed, taking regular breaks from the news cycle without completely disengaging, and channeling our energies into local actions where we can make a tangible difference.

In this era of political fatigue, our challenge is to stay awake, aware, and active. We must resist the slide into indifference, remembering that each act of engagement, no matter how small, is a rebuke to the strategy of exhaustion. It’s in our sustained attention and action that we find the strength to uphold the ideals of democracy, even—especially—when they are most under threat.