Trump Representation of Iran in Twiplomacy

Abstract

In this study, to determine Trump’s images of himself and Iran, the authors have focused on Trump's verbal behavior on Twitter. In this study, Maxqda 10 software was used. Through three-step coding, open coding, axial coding, and selective coding, the research seeks to answer these questions: what image does Trump represent of America and Iran on Twitter? And what are the reasons for this representation? The findings of the study are in the form of two concepts: the image of the self and the image of the other. In terms of self-image, authors have faced two sub-categories of Republican and Democratic achievements; Two category that Trump is trying to portray as a pro-American image of Republicans (with four categories) and the threatening image of US power by Democrats and Obama (with two categories) against Iran to achieve its intended goals of justifying anti-Iranian measures and extending his presidency. This, in turn, has polarized US foreign policy on Iran. Also in the terms of the image of the other, Iran is represented as the enemy of the United States that consists of three categories of the authoritarian regime, violating democracy and disturbing the international order. This type of Trump illustrations is influenced by anti-Iranian discourse in the US, The influence of Israeli loby and those around Trump, Trump's personality traits and his hate of Obama.

Keywords

• twiplomacy
• nuclear activity
• image theory
• trump
• foreign policy