Psychologists explain why Donald Trump keeps using the same eight-word sign-off – QuickStory

That kind of wording tends to spread quickly among his supporters, amplifying reactions and reinforcing shared outrage. But this phrase is different.

“But, ‘thank you for your attention to this matter’ is not negative or moral, so it’s especially interesting,” Robertson noted. “It doesn’t play super nicely with some of the established findings. It’s just weirdly formal.”

Experts say the reasoning may come down to control, and how language can subtly reinforce it. Holistic psychotherapist Shennika Moore-Clarke told HuffPost: “From a clinical standpoint, the repeated use of the phrase ‘thank you for your attention to this matter’ may read as more than formality. It carries undertones of control and authority,” according to VT.

Robertson echoed that idea, pointing out that Trump is highly aware of how he is perceived in positions of power.

“We know Trump is very conscious of wanting to be in control of a situation,” she said, adding that even small behavioral cues, like his handshakes, can reflect that.

“It’s a way of asserting control”

The phrasing itself also makes an assumption: that people are, in fact, paying attention.

“It’s assuming that everyone is giving this attention,” Robertson explained.

Moore-Clarke took it a step further: “It’s less about gratitude and more about command.

“It’s a way of asserting control, implying that readers should comply or take note.”

In that sense, the line works almost like a signal, framing whatever comes before it as important, authoritative, and worth focusing on.

“It … comes off as ‘this is something important that you need to pay attention to,’ so it [kind of] draws you in,” she added. “I get [the] sense that it’s strategic and it makes his followers trust him more as a source of power, even if what he had to say is not true or harmful to certain groups.”

More broadly, language has a way of creating its own patterns and expectations. Over time, certain phrases can become shorthand within specific groups — small “micro-cultures” where meaning is understood without needing to be spelled out.

In Trump’s case, the repeated use of this particular sign-off signals a shift: something more serious, more official.

Whether that shift is intentional remains unclear. People naturally develop speech habits all the time.

But experts say it’s entirely possible the phrase is being used deliberately, to capture attention, project authority, and reinforce a sense of control.

And if that’s the goal, it’s doing exactly what it’s supposed to.