The Trumpet — Trump’s tweets archived as news
Investigated data as a design material to explore novel information experiences, transforming more than 50,000 Trump tweets from 2016–2021 into a generative newspaper.
OVERVIEW
I investigated data as a design material to explore new ways of experiencing and interpreting information.
The Trumpet is a newspaper series generated from Trump’s tweets, using print structure and dynamic typography to cohesively give form to the data.
While many have analysed Trump’s tweets and presented insights through charts or commentary, The Trumpet invites readers to engage directly with the information and discover their own insights — through a fresh experience that extends beyond Twitter’s interface.
ROLE
Sole Designer
PROGRAMME
BA (Hons) Industrial Design, National University of Singapore
PLATFORM
Tangible Data, led by Dr Clement Zheng
TIMELINE
August 2021 – October 2021 • 11 weeks
Presentation Video
Design Process
Selecting the Dataset
The project began with treating data as a design material, without a final outcome in mind. I selected Donald Trump’s tweets dataset for its volume, accessibility, and cultural significance, providing rich material to explore new ways of interpretation.
Early Exploration
I started by importing the tweet texts into Microsoft Word and experimenting with typography representing the tweets' metadata such as the number of likes.
Subsequently, I printed the pages as a booklet which sparked an unexpected effect — the experience of reading the tweets began to feel more narrative than transactional.
This led to discussions with my peers and professor about using structural and layout concepts from storybooks or even the Bible, such as chapters and verses, to organise the tweet data.
Design Direction
Through the lens of the Syntactic, Pragmatic, and Semantic (SPS) framework, the newspaper emerged as the most suitable medium to organise and present Trump's tweet data. By balancing structure, usability, and cultural resonance, the newspaper format offers an intuitive and meaningful way to engage with the content.
Syntactic (Structure):
Its natural divisions and clear visual hierarchy support large volumes of textual data with clarity and consistency.
Pragmatic (Experience):
The physical form enables readers to both skim broadly and dive into individual tweets, providing flexible and intentional navigation compared to Twitter’s linear feed interface.
Semantic (Meaning):
The newspaper’s role as a timely, trusted source parallels how Trump’s tweets often influenced public discourse ahead of official channels. It reframes the tweets and their impact beyond ephemeral social media posts, highlighting their cultural significance.
Prototyping & Development
I used HTML, CSS, and JavaScript on Glitch to prototype layouts, applying typographic rules based on tweet metadata — such as the number of likes or retweets. Iteration focused on balancing visual richness with legibility, and I refined the layout structure and logic through regular feedback sessions.
Outcome
The Trumpet takes the form of a six-part newspaper series, archiving Trump’s tweets year by year. Each edition highlights frequently used words through bold headlines and dynamic typography that adapts to tweet metadata, uncovering patterns of tone, repetition, and influence.
Instead of simply presenting data for analysis, The Trumpet transforms it into an immersive experience— encouraging reflection and offering a calm, thoughtful alternative to the fast-paced, ever-changing nature of online platforms.