How much time does it take to govern a country? A take on President Trump’s social media habits

You might think that running a big country such as the United States would be hard and definitely at least a full time job: Well no, it isn’t. At least not when considering how many posts President Trump shares on social media. And not only at odd hours (and outside office hours – if there is such a thing in the White House) but every day and at almost any time of day.

During his first term in office President Trump posted on average 2914 words a week on social media, during his current term so far this count stands at 4149. and while he seems to be sleeping mostly between around midnight and 6 a.m. (he has been dropping the odd message as late or early as 2 a.m.), for the rest of the day POTUS is pretty constantly at it.

This makes me wonder whether and when he gets any actual work done? And what kind of work is he actually doing other than posting updates on X and Truth Social and signing executive orders?

Casual users of social media seem time posting between approximately 400 and 1000 words per week, whereas a highly active/multi-platform user might publish between 2000 and 4000 words.

Admittedly we all get distracted and/or bored in meetings while listening to lengthy presentations which don’t really concern us or being retold for the umpteenth time information which we have been aware of for quite a while. So it can’t come as a big surprise that according to a 2024 report from WorldMetrics, a provider of market data reports, 63% of employees admit to checking social media while in meetings. People also tend to check emails and use messaging apps, browse the internet or do other work such as completing unrelated tasks or even prepare for their next meeting.

But back to heads of state and social media: There are other more or less prolific posters, such as Nayib Bukele, president of El Salvador (2700 – 3800 words per week) and Narendra Modi, the Indian president (1150 – 1400). The British prime minister and the French president on the other hand with less than 500 words per week each on average have either nothing to say – or better things to do such as governing.

Interesting also is what heads of state post about: President Trump not quite unexpectedly likes writing about himself as “Trump-related terms and topics” have risen from 7% in his first term to over 16% since January 20th according to The Economist a newspaper. The only other topic more important to POTUS is tariffs and trade policies. The British prime minister and the French president on the other hand only occasionally post personal messages, focusing primarily on official matters and policy. President Macron is quoted to have said “I don’t tweet myself. And I don’t follow myself. Because it’s not compatible with the kind of distance you need to govern and to preside.”

Let’s assume that POTUS continues with his 4150 words per week for the rest of his term, his social media musings over the four years in office will equate to the volume of 4 novels the size of Moby-Dick or 1.5 times War and Peace.

It is unlikely that President Trump will stop airing his opinions on social media anytime soon, his latest outbursts while flying back from his tour of the Middle East just now being directed at Taylor Swift and Bruce Springsteen. And I suppose there is nothing wrong with a head of state also expressing his personal views, but at the rate POTUS is posting, I can’t help wondering who really runs the USA.