Trump Uses Teleprompter During Campaign Speech

CNN: “Trump Turns To The Teleprompter.” CNN reported that Trump during a June 7 speech “marked an about-face as a more restrained, yet out-of-character Trump” because he used “the two teleprompters to his left and right”: 

Donald Trump on Tuesday night sought to calm fretful Republicans bolting from his side over his latest controversy, laying out in measured terms his campaign platform and recasting himself as a “fighter” prepared to take on Hillary Clinton.

After days of characteristic defiance amid charges that his comments accusing a Mexican-American judge of bias were racist, Trump's speech Tuesday night marked an about-face as a more restrained, yet out-of-character Trump appeared.

Donald Trump turned to the two teleprompters to his left and right on Tuesday night and took a victory lap, as Republicans cast their final votes of the primary season. [CNN, 6/7/16]

Media Highlight Trump’s Hypocrisy: He’s Repeatedly Mocked Rivals’ Teleprompter Use

NBC’s Peter Alexander: Trump “Rel[ied] On A Teleprompter, Just Days After Mocking Hillary Clinton For Doing The Same.” NBC News White House correspondent Peter Alexander noted that Trump” rel[ied] on a teleprompter just days after mocking Hillary Clinton for doing the same” on the June 8 edition of NBC’s Today. [NBC, Today, 6/8/16]

Associated Press: Trump “Routinely Mocks His Rivals For Using Teleprompters,” But “Relied On The Much-Maligned Political Crutch” During His Speech. A June 7 Associated Press article pointed out that Trump’s use of a teleprompter “flew in the face of his usual criticism of them.” The article explained that Trump “routinely mocks his rivals for using teleprompters” -- he’s said “‘if you run for president, you shouldn't be allowed to use teleprompters” -- yet he “relied on the much-maligned crutch” during his speech. [Associated Press, 6/7/16]

The Hill: Trump Used A Teleprompter Even Though He “Previously Chided” Opponents For “Speaking From A Script.” The Hill noted in a June 7 piece that “Donald Trump delivered a primary night address Tuesday from a teleprompter, despite lambasting Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton for reading from a script during a speech last week.” The Hill also claimed that being more “buttoned-up” “leaves [Trump] vulnerable to criticism from his competitors, whom he previously chided for speaking from a script.” [The Hill, 6/7/16]

CBS News: Trump “Has Previously Derided [Teleprompters] For Being A Tool Of Entrenched Politicians.” A June 8 CBS News article highlighted that “Trump gave the speech with the assistance of teleprompters, which he has previously derided for being a tool of entrenched politicians,” adding that Trump “has even called for banning them for presidential candidates.” [CBS News, 6/8/16]

Politico: Trump “Has Not Always Been So Fond Of Teleprompters.” Politico noted in a June 7 article that Trump “has not always been so fond of teleprompters” and quoted Trump several times criticizing Hillary Clinton’s use of them. Politico also noted that Trump “used the teleprompter attack on his primary opponents in the opening months of the campaign.” [Politico, 6/7/16]

Huffington Post: “Donald Trump Uses Teleprompter After Regularly Mocking People For Using Teleprompters.” The Huffington Post’s Paige Lavender in an article headlined “Donald Trump Uses Teleprompter After Regularly Mocking People For Using Teleprompters” highlighted media criticism of Trump’s “quiet and bland” speech using a teleprompter. Lavender also wrote, “But wait! Hasn’t Trump blasted many of his rivals in the past for using teleprompters? … Why yes. Yes he has.” [Huffington Post, 6/7/16]

CNN’s Camerota: Trump “Used The Much-Maligned Teleprompter That He Had Actually Mocked Some Other People For Using.” CNN host Alisyn Camerota noted during the June 8 edition of CNN’s New Day that Trump during his speech “went so far as to use the much-maligned teleprompter that he had actually mocked some other people for using.” [CNN, New Day, 6/8/16]