WASHINGTON — In one of the rare moments of candor in modern American politics, Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana revealed that he once gave former President Donald Trump a piece of advice few dared to offer: put down the phone.
Appearing on the podcast Pod Force One, Kennedy recounted the conversation with a mix of humor and resignation.
“He asked me, ‘How do you like my tweets?’” Kennedy said.
“I told him, ‘Mr. President, no disrespect, but tweeting a little less won’t cause any brain damage.’”
The studio burst into laughter. Trump didn’t.
Kennedy recalled how the former president looked up slowly, his tone cool and deliberate:
“‘You don’t like my tweets?’”
Kennedy shot back:
“I like steak, but I don’t eat eight pieces at once. You can’t say everything that pops into your head.”
The room froze.
Trump smiled — the kind of smile that drops the temperature a few degrees.
A Habit That Won’t Die
A week later, it was clear Trump had not taken the advice. His Truth Social account continued to fire off posts as if the conversation had never happened.
He slammed Time magazine for an “ugly cover.”
He floated the idea of building an “Arc de Trump” in Washington, D.C.
And he shared an AI-generated video depicting himself as a crown-wearing pilot throwing “trash” at his critics.
Kennedy, speaking later, could only sigh:
“I told him, but he didn’t listen. The American people understand. They know who Trump is.”
The Power of a Post
Kennedy’s remark might have sounded like a quip, but it touched on a deeper truth: in the post-Trump era, social media isn’t just a tool of communication — it’s a weapon of political dominance.
Love him or loathe him, no one can deny Trump’s unmatched ability to command public attention online.
CNN hasn’t invited Kennedy back yet.
And Trump’s phone, as Kennedy put it, “hasn’t been quiet since.”
