I Broke the Dam
April 10, 2025·7 comments·In Brief
When the bond market spooked, President Trump reversed course on tariffs and told the media exactly why. Within hours, his own administration contradicted him. Treasury Secretary Bessent claimed no market pressure existed. Press aides insisted delays were always planned. The president's actual words, stated clearly and repeatedly, simply vanished from the official record being constructed in real time.
- The person at the center lost control of their own narrative. Trump screamed into cameras for two days that market pressure forced the reversal. His movement heard something different. Not because they didn't understand him, but because the network had already decided what happened.
- Coordination happened without coordination. Bessent, Leavitt, Miller, and Twitter influencers didn't need marching orders to tell the same story. The hive mind produced consensus without central instruction. The alternative narrative simply materialized.
- His explicit confession achieved nothing. Every presidential word, every clarification, every extemporaneous insistence that he literally broke the dam bounced off the already-solidified meaning. The symbol had become bigger than the person constructing it.
- This reveals something about how power actually flows. If the most powerful person in the room cannot convince his own supporters what he just said about his own decision, then narratives are no longer top-down. Control belongs to whoever shapes the network first.
- The question isn't who's in charge anymore. It's whether any individual, no matter how prominent, can break free once the collective story has taken hold. If the answer is no, what does that mean for how we understand influence and accountability?
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DISCLOSURES
This commentary is being provided to you as general information only and should not be taken as investment advice. The opinions expressed in these materials represent the personal views of the author(s). It is not investment research or a research recommendation, as it does not constitute substantive research or analysis. Any action that you take as a result of information contained in this document is ultimately your responsibility. Epsilon Theory will not accept liability for any loss or damage, including without limitation to any loss of profit, which may arise directly or indirectly from use of or reliance on such information. Consult your investment advisor before making any investment decisions. It must be noted, that no one can accurately predict the future of the market with certainty or guarantee future investment performance. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.
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