# Post x_1342212340436136000

- Post ID: `x_1342212340436136000`
- Platform: X (Twitter)
- Posted: 2020-12-25T01:55:33.000Z (UTC)
- Deleted: no
- Repost: no
- Canonical URL: https://trump.fm/post/x_1342212340436136000
- Analysis page: https://trump.fm/post/x_1342212340436136000/analysis
- Audio narration: https://static.trump.fm/audio/x_1342212340436136000.mp3 (a synthesized voice reading the post text, not a recording)

## Post text

> Maria’s show and ratings are better than ever. They are trying to shame her into not telling the truth. Her audience would be gone, and she is far too smart for that. Rigged Election! https://t.co/g3AyaOx3dv

## Engagement

- Likes: 0
- Reposts: 34,335
- Replies: 0
- Views: unknown
- Metrics collected: 2026-02-01T01:33:24.792Z (UTC)

# Analysis

_Machine-generated by trump.fm on 2026-03-19T19:52:46.144Z (UTC): a model's reading of this post, not his words. Its psychological terms describe the language, not a clinical assessment of him._

## Summary

This post exemplifies Trump's media alliance maintenance strategy during the post-election period. By publicly praising Bartiromo's ratings and framing criticism of her as persecution, Trump reinforces a loyalty-reward dynamic with media figures amplifying his election fraud narrative. The post is notable for its epistemic closure: election fraud claims are labeled "the truth," making any challenge to them an act of suppression rather than fact-checking. The implicit transactional logic — her audience depends on telling "the truth" (i.e., supporting Trump's narrative) — reveals the parasocial control mechanism. Within the broader longitudinal context of the Jan 6 lead-up, this post contributes to the reality distortion infrastructure by validating and protecting media figures who serve as amplifiers. The danger level is elevated not because of this post in isolation, but because of its function in the broader pattern of delegitimizing the election in the weeks before certification.

## Psychological Analysis: Defense of Maria Bartiromo & "Rigged Election"

### Context
Posted Christmas Eve at 8:55 PM ET from Mar-a-Lago. Trump defends Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo, who had been amplifying his election fraud claims and facing criticism for it. The post frames her as a truth-teller under siege.

### Authorship
Timing (8:55 PM ET Christmas Eve) and emotional content suggest authentic Trump. The stream-of-consciousness logic chain and "Rigged Election!" exclamation are characteristic.

### Psychological Dynamics
This post reveals a parasocial alliance pattern: Trump rewards media figures who validate his narrative ("ratings are better than ever") while framing criticism of them as persecution ("trying to shame her"). The implicit message to other media figures is clear — loyalty is rewarded, disloyalty punished.

The phrase "not telling the truth" is projection-laden: Trump defines his election fraud narrative as "the truth" and frames any challenge as suppression. This is characteristic of epistemic closure where loyalty to the leader's reality becomes the test of truthfulness.

### Rhetorical Structure
The post follows a tight formula: praise ally → identify persecutors ("they") → assert ally's strength → conclude with grievance slogan. This is supply-chain maintenance — keeping allied media figures invested in his narrative by publicly rewarding them.

## Fact Verification

| Claim | Verdict | Evidence |
|-------|---------|----------|
| "Maria's show and ratings are better than ever" | **Mostly True** | Bartiromo's ratings did increase during this period as she leaned into election fraud coverage, though 'better than ever' is typical Trumpian hyperbole |
| "Rigged Election" | **False** | No evidence of systematic election fraud sufficient to alter results. Over 60 court cases dismissed. DOJ, CISA, and state officials confirmed election integrity. |

Overall Veracity: 40%

## Authorship Analysis

**Self-Written** (score: 80%)

### Indicators

- 8:55 PM ET Christmas Eve timing
- Emotional reactivity
- Exclamatory 'Rigged Election!'
- Stream-of-consciousness logic chain

## Psychological Profile

### State

**Grandiose State**

**Trigger:** Narcissistic Injury — Exposure (Media criticism of Bartiromo signals weakening of his narrative support structure)

Sentiment: -0.30

**Mildly Hypomanic**
- Multiple posts in rapid succession on Christmas Eve/Day
- Continued grievance posting during holiday

### Clinical

**Malignant Narcissism:**
- Narcissistic: 60%
- Antisocial: 30%
- Paranoid: 50%
- Sadism: 10%

**Defense Mechanisms:**
- projection (immature)
- splitting (immature)
- idealization (immature)

**Cognitive Complexity:**
- Complexity: 50%

**Parasocial Techniques:**
- Public reward for loyalty
- Implicit threat framework (audience loss if she stops)
- Identity fusion with ally

## Danger Assessment

**ELEVATED**

### Indicators

- Continues to reinforce 'Rigged Election' narrative in lead-up to January 6
- Builds epistemic closure around election fraud claims

### Gaslighting

- Reframes documented Biden victory as 'Rigged Election'
- Defines election fraud conspiracy as 'the truth'
- Frames fact-checking as 'shaming'

## Fact Checks (2)

_The model's verdicts from 2026-03-19._

> Maria's show and ratings are better than ever

**MOSTLY TRUE**

Bartiromo's ratings did increase during this period as she leaned into election fraud coverage, though 'better than ever' is typical Trumpian hyperbole

> Rigged Election

**FALSE**

No evidence of systematic election fraud sufficient to alter results. Over 60 court cases dismissed. DOJ, CISA, and state officials confirmed election integrity.

Overall Veracity: 40%

## Tags

- media-alliance (90%)
- election-delegitimization (80%)
- epistemic-closure (70%)
- loyalty-reward (70%)

## That day

_From trump.fm's machine-generated digest of the day, not his words._

**Christmas Eve Grievance Marathon: Holiday Consumed by Election Rage and Republican Betrayal Threats**

Trump spent Christmas Eve evening at Mar-a-Lago firing off a rapid burst of grievance posts about the election, Republican disloyalty, and Twitter censorship -- eight posts in four hours, most of them angry. The mood was dominated by a sense of abandonment: allies who owe him aren't fighting hard enough, platforms are silencing him, and the election was stolen. A perfunctory "MERRY CHRISTMAS" didn't arrive until the following afternoon, feeling more like an obligation than a celebration. The day's most notable feature was what was absent -- no mention of the Nashville bombing that morning, no substantive holiday warmth, and no sign that anything could break the fixation on the election.

Full digest for 2020-12-25: https://trump.fm/date/2020-12-25/analysis

## Citation

- APA: Trump, D. J. (2020, December 25). Maria’s show and ratings are better than ever.... [Social media post]. X (Twitter). trump.fm. https://trump.fm/post/x_1342212340436136000
- MLA: Trump, Donald J. "Maria’s show and ratings are better than ever. They are..." X (Twitter), 25 Dec. 2020. trump.fm, https://trump.fm/post/x_1342212340436136000. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.
- Chicago: Donald J. Trump, "Maria’s show and ratings are better than ever. They are...," X (Twitter), December 25, 2020, archived at trump.fm, https://trump.fm/post/x_1342212340436136000.

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