• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock

2

‘I want to die broke’: Billionaire philanthropist Denny Sanford dies after giving away $4 billion

3

'Dr. Doom' Nouriel Roubini says we're headed for universal basic income or 'some form of socialism' as AI revolutionizes work—He calls that optimistic

1

Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock

2

‘I want to die broke’: Billionaire philanthropist Denny Sanford dies after giving away $4 billion

3

'Dr. Doom' Nouriel Roubini says we're headed for universal basic income or 'some form of socialism' as AI revolutionizes work—He calls that optimistic
Leadership

Donald Trump Aims to Soften Image at Convention

By
Zeke J Miller
Zeke J Miller
and
TIME
TIME
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Zeke J Miller
Zeke J Miller
and
TIME
TIME
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 18, 2016, 8:57 AM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

As he claims the mantle of the Republican Party, Donald Trump will seek to soften the edges of a public persona sharpened by an adult life lived in full view of the New York media and honed on reality television.

The most unpopular major-party standard bearer in recent history, the real estate mogul is looking to show a more personal side, leaning on his family and a coterie of close friends as he makes his case for the presidency. At the same time, he’ll try to tone down some of the rhetoric and ideas that gained him a zealous following in the Republican primary even as they tarnished his image in the eyes of some general-election voters.

Released late Sunday after weeks of delay, the convention schedule is far more traditional than the fireworks — both literal and figurative — that Trump once promised. The speaker list is full of political leaders and conservative personalities who are familiar on the GOP speaker circuit, as well as a long list of people with the last name “Trump.”

“The plan for the Trump campaign for this convention is to help the American people to learn more about Donald Trump the man, not just the man they see on the campaign trail, but the breadth of the man himself,” said Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort on Sunday. “Part of the historic nature will be the impact that family members have talking about the candidate.”

Trump’s four grown children — Don Jr., Eric, Ivanka and Tiffany — are set to speak, along with his wife Melania. In additional to plugging the businessman’s family enterprise, they are expected to provide testimonials about the presumptive nominee’s character and temperament when the cameras turn off.

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus has expressed hope in conversations with Trump and reporters that the candidate would show his softer side at the convention.

[fortune-gallery id=”1737535″]

“If the public sees the Donald Trump that I’ve gotten to know in private, he will not be stopped,” Priebus predicted on Meet the Press.

But it is a big “if.” Party officials have come to rue Trump’s capacity for unforced verbal miscues and digressions leaving them less than confident that he can make it through the week without a misstep. But they are also mindful that Trump is at his most electric when speaking off the cuff and preaching to a roomful of acolytes. The convention is set to be more of an acoustic set. The inherent contradiction is still a glaring strategic question, with the party both encouraging the more “mature” Trump, while mindful that they risk losing his dynamism if he goes too far in that direction.

The impact of political conventions has been under steady decline for decades, but for a media-centric candidate like Trump, it could be more pivotal than any in recent memory. Trump himself has predicted record ratings, and aides say he recognizes that it may be his final opportunity for the universally known figure to rebrand himself in the nation’s eyes. Should he revert to his bombastic self before tens of millions of eyeballs, they fear it would be a wasted opportunity.

Trump has said he would use a teleprompter for his formal remarks claiming the nomination on Thursday night—the marquee event of the week, which is followed by the customary balloon drop. The move follows several cautious Trump speeches in recent weeks on everything from ISIS to global trade. But aides hinted that Trump would likely make more than one appearance in the Quicken Loans Arena, though it wasn’t yet clear if he would speak more than once. And even when reading off prepared notes, as he did when he introduced his running mate, Indiana Governor Mike Pence, Saturday, Trump has a penchant for going off script.

Asked whether Trump would appear more scripted at the convention in an effort to minimize the risks, Manafort balked.

“Donald Trump will be Donald Trump,” he said. “Scripted is the wrong word.”

Trump’s wife Melania is set to speak Monday evening, he will be formally nominated on Tuesday evening, and Pence will speak Wednesday night.

The family focus also betrays lingering tensions at the GOP convention. Mitt Romney and all of the Bush family — perennial top-tier talent — will skip the gathering in protest of Trump, with whom they have forcefully disagreed.

Conventions offer candidates unfettered opportunity to control their message to the public. But even the most carefully stage-managed events have run into problems.

During the 2012 Republican convention, Mitt Romney aides plotted an elaborate effort on the final night to show the true Romney, with testimonials from businesses and employees he helped turn around, family friends, and co-religionists. But the carefully scripted message, encapsulated in a moving video set to air just before he took the stage, was overshadowed by Clint Eastwood’s bizarre unrehearsed speech.

“Trump is at 32 [percent] favorable,” former Romney senior strategist and outspoken Trump critic Stuart Stevens told TIME. “Until he revamps his image, everything will work against him. Most don’t like him and all negatives will stick.”

This article originally appeared on Time.com.

About the Authors
By Zeke J Miller
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By TIME
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Leadership

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Leadership

k
Commentarypower
What I keep hearing from Fortune 500 CEOs: ‘We have no idea what we’re actually paying for power’
By Kiran BhatrajuJuly 21, 2026
2 minutes ago
Bolt CEO Ryan Breslow
CommentaryHuman resources
The CEO who fired HR was right. About the wrong thing.
By KeyAnna SchmiedlJuly 21, 2026
2 minutes ago
Jersey Mike's Subs restaurant.
C-SuiteCFO Daily
Jersey Mike’s tests how far investors will stretch on restaurant IPO valuations
By Sheryl EstradaJuly 21, 2026
10 minutes ago
Jamie Dimon, chief executive officer of JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Economynational debt
Jamie Dimon won’t put more of his own money into the long end of the bond market right now—thanks to the $39 trillion national debt
By Eleanor PringleJuly 21, 2026
1 hour ago
ford
Commentary250 Years of Innovation
Alliance for America’s Skilled Trades: Skilled trades shaped America’s past. Here’s how they can build America’s future
By Jim Farley, Linda Hubbard, Bayo Ogunlesi and Ruth PoratJuly 21, 2026
2 hours ago
chad
AIConsulting
Exclusive: KPMG and OpenAI bet the future of software is ‘headless’ — and the future of work is mostly talking
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 21, 2026
2 hours ago

Most Popular

Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock
Success
Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 20, 2026
18 hours ago
‘I want to die broke’: Billionaire philanthropist Denny Sanford dies after giving away $4 billion
Success
‘I want to die broke’: Billionaire philanthropist Denny Sanford dies after giving away $4 billion
By Sydney LakeJuly 20, 2026
22 hours ago
'Dr. Doom' Nouriel Roubini says we're headed for universal basic income or 'some form of socialism' as AI revolutionizes work—He calls that optimistic
AI
'Dr. Doom' Nouriel Roubini says we're headed for universal basic income or 'some form of socialism' as AI revolutionizes work—He calls that optimistic
By Jason MaJuly 18, 2026
3 days ago
Current price of silver as of Monday, July 20, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Monday, July 20, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 20, 2026
1 day ago
Warren Buffett says his $147 billion investing career was an accident: ‘I may be one of the 10 luckiest in the world’
Future of Work
Warren Buffett says his $147 billion investing career was an accident: ‘I may be one of the 10 luckiest in the world’
By Sarah GlodekJuly 20, 2026
1 day ago
It’s not just Taco Bell lettuce and possible glass in Pillsbury rolls: Food and drink recall events reached a 6-year year-over-year high
Retail
It’s not just Taco Bell lettuce and possible glass in Pillsbury rolls: Food and drink recall events reached a 6-year year-over-year high
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 20, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.