This chapter begins unpacking the distinct features of text. The chapter then traces how text evolved with the discipline of rhetorical studies. As a case study, the chapter explores Donald Trump to show why text is useful for understanding American politics. The chapters highlights the utility of understanding Trump-as-a-text by analyzing how his public image emerged on the reality television program The Apprentice. The chapters closes by linking the practical value of understanding Trump-the-text to the practical value of using rhetorical texts to sharpen your own capacity as a rhetorical critic.