Trump’s Free‑form “Talk Show”

Jumping from Soleimani to Japanese accents to blaming Vance — a wild ride in Geneva

In one press conference, Donald Trump meandered from a detailed retelling of Qassem Soleimani’s killing, to praising Emmanuel Macron, to ranking US nuclear weapons, to thanking China for staying neutral — often within the same breath. What was meant to be a statement on the Iran deal turned into an unpredictable solo performance, with no apparent script beyond the first sentence.

🔍 Core Observation

•

No Teleprompter? No Problem. Trump would read one line from his notes, then immediately launch into a 10‑minute tangent — on Soleimani, on his own deal‑making genius, or on which US president he least wants to resemble (Herbert Hoover).

•

Ruminating style. He repeated the same points about Iran and Soleimani multiple times, sometimes contradicting himself within minutes — “we won’t invest in Iran… but you can’t stop other countries from investing… actually I can stop them.”

•

Stream of consciousness. The logic often defied explanation: “I can bomb them because it’s easy. Easy. That’s why.”

“The reason we have this deal today is because I killed Soleimani. He was so tough. A tough country with a tough guy becomes very tough. Good thing I took him out.”

— Trump, pivoting to a 12‑minute monologue on the 2020 strike

🎭 Scene‑by‑Scene Highlights

Act 1 · The Soleimani Saga

After claiming a “great deal” with Iran, Trump suddenly recalled the 2020 assassination of Qassem Soleimani. He spent roughly 10–12 minutes describing the remote street, Soleimani’s strength, and how “everything in Iran was Soleimani.” Then, without transition: “Macron did a good job. This G7 was excellent.”

Act 2 · Presidential Rankings

Out of nowhere, Trump started evaluating US presidents. “I studied them all. The one I never want to become? Herbert Hoover.” Then back to Iran: “We solved it. America is great again.” He also volunteered a nuclear weapon ranking: US #1, Russia #2, China #3 — adding “but China will catch up fast.”

Act 3 · The $300 Billion Investment

Referring to the “$300 billion for Iran’s reconstruction” mentioned in some reports, Trump said: “We won’t pay it. But you can’t stop others from investing… well, I could be tough and say no. But what’s the point?” Then he repeated the same argument twice more.

Act 4 · Missile Non‑sequitur

“I did not allow Saudi Arabia to get missiles.” A reporter checked: “Saudi Arabia?” Trump nodded. No further explanation was given.

🎤 Q&A — The “Interactive” Round

Peter the favourite Trump repeatedly called on a journalist named Peter, praising him for once writing that “Trump answered more questions in one presser than Biden did in his entire term.” They had a friendly chat; Trump told him “sit down, I’ll call you again later.”

CBS flattery backfires A CBS reporter opened with: “Mr. President, in your book The Art of the Deal, you wrote that you always need leverage.” Trump: “Who said that?” Reporter: “You did, sir.” Pause. “Right.” The room burst into laughter.

Japanese accent confusion A Japanese journalist asked in heavily accented English whether Trump had consulted G7 members about the deal. Trump didn’t understand. The journalist repeated the question three times, then Trump turned to Rubio for translation. The answer turned out to be “boring.”

“I can bomb them” A familiar front‑row reporter pressed: “If Iran sells oil and makes money, isn’t that the same as investing?” Trump shot back: “No, they follow my rules. If not, I bomb them. Why? Because it’s easy. Easy.” The causality drew blank stares.

Gratitude to China In the middle of a tangent, Trump thanked China for staying neutral and not selling advanced drones. “They make very good ones. Precise. But they stayed neutral. I appreciate that.”

        ~10 min
        Time Trump spent on the Soleimani story alone
    

        3×
        Times he repeated the “can’t stop other countries from investing” argument
    

        1
        Reporter (Peter) called on multiple times as “my favourite”
    

🏁 Finale — The Art of Blame

“If the deal is good, it’s my credit. If it’s bad, I’ll blame Vance. Vance, you better watch out.”

— Trump on why he might let VP Vance sign the Geneva accord, then take credit or shift blame

Also noted: A reporter pointed out that Trump was already in Geneva, so why not sign the deal himself? Trump replied: “I might. But if it’s good, it’s me. If it’s bad, it’s Vance. That’s leadership.” The room laughed again.

Takeaway

The press conference was less a diplomatic briefing and more a one‑man show — meandering, self‑contradictory, and frequently baffling. Yet it also revealed a deliberate method: keep the audience off‑balance, reward loyal journalists, and always leave a scapegoat on standby. As one observer put it: “He was ruminating out loud for an hour.”

Generated by CuteNote.app Visual Notes

Trump Press Conference – A Free‑wheeling “Talk Show”