Alternative Facts: Latest Entry In The American English Lexicon?

Despite the first two weeks of the Trump Administration is “trumping” the Reagan Administration when it comes to media manipulation, is the phrase “Alternative Facts” now forever part of the American English language lexicon?

By: Ringo Bones

Days immediately following U.S. Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway’s interview in Meet the Press with Chuck Todd pertaining to the lack of attendance during Donald J. Trump’s inauguration as President of the United States, sales of George Orwell’s magnum opus 1984 increased by almost 10,000-percent and this was on online book retailer Amazon alone. Was the dramatic sales increase a result of Kellyanne Conway’s use of the phrase “Alternative Facts”?   

“Alternative Facts” is a phrase used by U.S. Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway during a Meet the Press interview on January 22, 2017 in which she defended White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer’s false statement about the attendance at Donald J. Trump’s inauguration as President of the United States. When pressed during the interview with Chuck Todd to explain why Sean Spicer uttered a provable falsehood, Conway stated that Spicer was giving “alternative facts” – which Chuck Todd responded: “look, alternative facts are not facts. They’re falsehood”. And thus the phrase “Alternative Facts” was immortalized in the American English lexicon.