Spiro Kiousis, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Public Relations professor and executive associate dean, was quoted in two articles featuring reactions to former President Donald Trump’s recent indictments. They were published on Dan Tri, a Vietnamese online news outlet.

“The Paradox of the Photo of Mr. Trump in Prison,” published on Sept. 1, focuses on former President Trump’s mugshot that was taken after surrendering to authorities at the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office in Atlanta, Georgia. The photo has gone viral after being released to the media and is being used for fundraising purposes.

“The goal of the Trump team right now is to win the Republican nomination in the primary election. So, they will most likely continue to use the tactic,” said Kiousis.

He adds, “This tactic can work for ardent supporters because it reinforces the views they already have. But the risk is that a sustained stream of negative news could upset weak supporters and independent voters. It remains to be seen if it works in the long run.”

The second article, “How Mr. Trump Took the Opponent’s ‘Media Oxygen’” published on Aug. 24, focuses on how Trump is different from other politicians in terms of dealing with unfavorable news.

According to Kiousis, “The former president often posts articles that ‘slander’ himself on social networks and then directly rebuts, unlike traditional politicians who often only interact with positive content.”

Posted: September 6, 2023
Category: College News
Tagged as: Dan Tri, Donald Trump indictments, Spiro Kiousis