Why Trump Wouldn’t Say ‘Jockstrap’
We have, apparently, found a word that President Donald Trump simply will not say: jockstrap.
In the midst of a rant against House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, delivered in front of reporters at a press availability yesterday with the president of Finland, Trump displayed a peculiar case of what linguists call “taboo avoidance.”
Schiff had earlier criticized Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for not complying with congressional subpoenas in the Ukraine scandal. That led Trump to defend Pompeo, whom he called “the most honorable person.” Of Schiff, he said, “You know, there’s an expression: He couldn’t carry his ‘blank’ strap. I won’t say it, because they’ll say it was so terrible to say. But that guy couldn’t carry his ‘blank’ strap.” Trump paused before saying, “You understand that?”
It’s safe to say that. But many may have wondered why , of all words, was Trump’s personal linguistic Rubicon that he dare not cross. After all, just before he appeared with the Finnish president, Trump tweeted out that the Democrats’ impeachment inquiry was “,” all caps. As CNN’s Jim Acosta , “Trump says ‘bullshit’ but doesn’t say ‘jock strap?’”
