For leaders like Trump and Putin, telling big lies isn't about persuasion -- it's about power. Subscribe to our channel! http://goo.gl/0bsAjO At first glance, US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin seem to have wildly different communication styles. But what they share is a tendency to repeat big, obvious lies -- a tactic researchers have dubbed the “firehose of falsehood.” Whether it’s lying about Russian troops in Crimea or falsely claiming millions of people voted illegally during the 2016 election, both leaders demonstrate a kind of shamelessness when it comes to telling and retelling big lies. And that’s because firehosing isn’t actually about persuasion. It’s about power. Read the original "firehose of falsehood" report: https://www.rand.org/pubs/perspectives/PE198.html Read more of Masha Gessen’s work at The New Yorker: https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/how-putin-and-trump-each-lied-in-helsinki Read more of Christopher Paul’s work at RAND: https://www.rand.org/about/people/p/paul_christopher.html On Strikethrough, Vox producer Carlos Maza explores the challenges facing the news media in the age of Trump. Follow Carlos on Facebook for more: https://www.facebook.com/CarlosMazaVox Vox.com is a news website that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines. Check out http://www.vox.com/. Watch our full video catalog: http://goo.gl/IZONyE Follow Vox on Facebook: http://goo.gl/U2g06o Or Twitter: http://goo.gl/XFrZ5H