Soft weapons of the head of state and challenges for the press

In the digital age, social media has become a powerful communication tool for many heads of state around the world. Platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram or Truth Social help heads of state to directly broadcast messages, images, and policies to tens, even hundreds of millions of people quickly. This poses a significant challenge for the press, requiring appropriate adaptation to reposition its role.

Truth Social, a social network founded by US President Donald Trump, is designed to allow users to freely express their views without fear of censorship or restriction.

Social media becomes a powerful tool

US President Donald Trump is the clearest example of using social media. Right from his first term (2016-2020), he shocked the world with his direct, personal and controversial Twitter style. Banned from this platform after the Capitol riots in 2021, Mr. Trump did not back down but founded his own social network called Truth Social to continue posting information without any filters. When he returned to the White House in 2025, he reaffirmed the power of social media by turning this network into an official channel to announce policies, attack opponents, direct public opinion and even... give orders. On the Truth Social platform, the US President currently has nearly 10 million followers. His views, statements and political decisions attract millions of interactions and comments.

Donald Trump’s recent announcements about tariffs on various countries were first announced by Truth Social, then by the press. This reverses the traditional media order: instead of the press being the first to announce policy decisions, they are now the channel to receive and react.

Similarly, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is one of the most followed heads of state on social media, with over 100 million followers on X and nearly 93 million on Instagram. He not only posts policy messages, but also shares everyday images, interacts with people, and uses social media as a direct bridge to voters without going through the media.

In Europe, French President Emmanuel Macron and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez both use social media to quickly communicate policies, respond to hot events, and spread their country's values ​​and stances in a flexible but effective way.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is another example. In his conflict with Russia, he has used social media as a second trench. Short messages and direct images from the field or government meetings have helped him both strengthen domestic morale and appeal to international sympathy and support.

It is worth noting that the use of social media by many world leaders is not only about the frequency of appearance or the number of followers, but also about the proactive orientation of information. Messages are not simply for notification, but become political tools, soft power tools, policy advocacy and pressure. With Mr. Donald Trump, each status line can cause financial markets to fluctuate, change international negotiation strategies, or create internal political shifts. A specific example is the announcement of reducing tariffs on Chinese goods from 145% to 30% on Truth Social in May 2025, the global market reacted immediately. Major newspapers, despite having a large network of reporters, still have to receive information like any other social media users.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is one of the most followed heads of state on social media platforms.

Journalism faces the need for innovation

In a context where many leaders give “priority” to social media, the press cannot be the first to report but must become the analyst, verifier and leader of public opinion. As in the case of the US President announcing tariff reductions with China, Reuters analyzed that China’s official media welcomed the agreement, but the public was skeptical about the consistency of US policy; the Financial Times assessed that Trump’s trade policy was inconsistent, causing difficulties for businesses; meanwhile, Politico (US) said that there was a change in political views on trade with China.

These things show that the press has shifted its role from being a channel to being an information “architect”. When the public can access the original message from the leader through social media, the press will clarify the context of the message, the consequences of the policy, who benefits, who suffers, and whether the information contradicts previous statements.

The way news is delivered must also change. Instead of rewriting messages from social media, press agencies use their strengths of analytical resources, expert networks and objectivity to dissect, explain and compare. This is all the more important in the context of heads of state using social media not only to inform but also to create effects, orient emotions and even create political smokescreens. If not alert, the press can inadvertently become an amplification tool of calculated media campaigns.

The power of social media in reaching the public quickly and widely is undeniable, but that also creates an urgent need for a solid information verification system. That role can only be played by professional press. When the head of state can directly talk to the people, the press cannot continue to be an intermediary "spokesperson" but needs to guide the public to have a comprehensive view with data compared and analyzed from many sides.

It can be affirmed that the use of social media by politicians and heads of state as an effective tool to convey messages and policies does not mean the end or reduction of the role of the press. On the contrary, it is a test for the press to reposition itself, innovate its work and return to its core mission of serving the public with truth, multi-dimensional perspectives and in-depth analysis.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/xa-hoi/202506/vu-khi-mem-cua-nguyen-thu-va-thach-thuc-cho-bao-chi-69c3511/