Donald Trump has taken over the world. His name brings out powerful emotions in Americans across the country, whether it be hate or admiration. From the beginning of his campaign, every action of his has made national news. His policies earn multiple editorials and segments, but why? Could it be because Trump is a name associated with business and not the presidency? The Trump Tower stands tall and proud in New York City, stories above average folks, and runs on millions of dollars. The country watched him in “The Apprentice”, not televised debates. Or is it because of how he can manipulate the media with his clever strategies?

“Some people may think Donald Trump has no idea what he’s doing, but he’s known it since day one.” Matthew Rotondaro, a senior at Fairfield University, explained. “It may seem like everyday he’s making a huge, impromptu decision or changing a policy, but it’s all planned.”

Trump has a pattern: he doesn’t release commercials and manages to keep the public on their toes constantly by saying every thought that comes to his head. Although most thoughts are controversial, this manages to create a following, and this is a major key to his media strategies.

Trump is far from shy, and this creates success. When he is under fire, he shifts the blame from himself to the people who are throwing criticism at him, and most of the times he calls them “lazy”, says journalist Michael Simmons. Trump will take the criticism out of context (such as responding to the backlash with a jab at the persons physical appearance) or will refer to them as losers (because Trump’s name comes with success in the business world and millions of dollars).

With this approach, even though he never accepts the criticism throw at him and dances around it, his followers look at him as if he’s done no wrong, and never will. They will turn their attention towards the people attacking him, and attack them back.

“Trump manages to make it seem that his attackers are in the wrong, and that what they are saying is nonsense,” said Matthew. “Like Rosie O’Donnell. She gets hate everyday just because Donald hates her.”

Trump also uses the attention he gets to highlight his success. “Use the attention to extremely confidently share your more nuanced policies and point out your track records as billionaire.” Simmons wrote about how Trump takes his good and bad attention and turns it into more success.

All throughout his campaign, he has stirred the nation because of his stances on important issues such as deportation. His idea of building a wall blocking off the United States and Mexico to prevent illegal immigrants from coming into the country has received extreme media attention.

In the beginning of his campaign, the wall started out as a faint idea. He presented it sans logistics and allowed people to either take it or leave it. Media publications took this idea and ran, albeit with a grain of salt, because the numbers were not there. As he began to speak at more events, and present this idea more at debates, although the information that was lacking before was finally there, it was not the news outlets main focus.

Now, protests and criticism are at an all time high because of this idea, although protests are never written about in that way. They are described as an accumulation of Trump’s ideas for when he becomes president, even though the wall is incredibly well-known through millennials and is a huge reason for their turnout.

However, Trump never allows the media to see him falter. Even if for a second he is feeling unsure about whether or not the wall would be a success, he pulls through and directs his uneasiness elsewhere.

“When you get a question [or issue] that you can’t answer, turn the table on the interviewer,” Simmons wrote about deflecting negative attention.”Have them focus on the issues that are important to you.”

Recently, Gov. Chris Christie has come under his wing.

“The governor has acted as a Trump surrogate, appearing with him on the campaign trial a few times,” says journalist Brent Johnson “some experts say Christie could be a contender for Trump’s pick for vice president.”

Acting almost as his adviser, Christie has been seen at multiple press conferences standing (sometimes confusingly) behind Trump’s podium. He has been given a new and expanded role. According to Johnson, Christie was coaching Trump prior to the final GOP presidential debate.

“Christie is clearly making the transition from endorser to enabler and positioning himself to be a major player in the Trump camp.” Says David M. Kennedy, a political historian.

Having a politician like Christie (whose name has appeared quite a few times in the news already) endorse Trump just increases media attention. It gives reporters an additional thing to observe and report, and results in more people going online and turning on their TV’s to see what’s next.