President-elect Donald Trump last held a press conference on July 27. Kellyanne Conway, his right-hand spokesperson, said on Monday that Trump would hold another one “soon.” She did not provide any detail on when that would occur.
Trump is turning to digital video to connect with his new constituents, the American people. In a YouTube video, posted on Monday, he outlined in scant detail what he hopes to accomplish in his first 100 days in office.
For comparison, in 2008, President-elect Obama held a press conference three days after winning the election. Obama subsequently held numerous ones to announce administration picks. In many cases, he took questions regarding the steep economic downturn occurring at the time, as well as plans for the war in Afghanistan.
Considering the crises that Trump will face on day one -- namely the rise of ISIL, rising racial tensions and serious questions about millions of citizens’ future health-care provisions -- it would be helpful for him to address those concerns to the nation.
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Trump is likely to be asked about his connections with the Alt-Right, considering the group’s incendiary rhetoric in the wake of Steve Bannon’s appointment as senior strategist. He is probably desperate to avoid such questions.
In the YouTube video, we received little new information about what Trump will do as president. There was no clear template for dealing with health care, the humanitarian crisis in the Mideast, building a wall, or what, if anything, he will do to combat rising racial tensions.
Instead, Trump assured the American people that on day one he will implement executive orders to: withdraw from TPP, remove environmental restrictions on energy production, impose restrictions on lobbying, improve cyber defense and restrict visa programs.
More videos are expected during his transition period.
But for the sake of the country, press conferences, standard operating practice for U.S. presidents, are essential. Those critical Q&As provide an opportunity for a free media, representing a diverse electorate, to ensure the nation's concerns are heard at the highest level.