Public relations strategies based on dramatization are key tools to achieving success in
electoral campaigns. Press offices play a fundamental role as theatre directors, turning their leaders into
great actors. What at first glance would look like a theatrical performance is, more than ever, what
happened in the US presidential elections. Newspapers are intensifying the use of visual elements to
reinforce the news. This research paper analyses 2,463 articles from eight digital newspapers in four
countries to learn about the impact of visuals and dramatization on the European press. It seems
paradoxical that the progressive newspapers devoted more articles to Trump than the conservative
newspapers. A lack of time on the part of the journalists? What is certain is that the visuals prepared by
Trump’s press office and his perfectly designed public appearances, were reproduced by the media. The
study shows that the progressive newspapers analysed have contributed to giving Trump greater
visibility in Europe.
