Drain The Swamp

What does drain the swamp mean?

To remove corruption

Drain the swamp is a political term that refers to the removal of corruption in Washington D.C. It became a rallying cry for Donald Trump and his supporters during the final weeks of the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

The term comes from the practice of actually draining swamps to decrease the mosquito population and fight against malaria. Many American citizens believe that D.C. is full of politicians that don't have the best interests of the country in mind and would rather take money from lobbyists and lie than listen to the public. So as a way to clean house, frustrated voters backed an outsider in Trump to clear D.C. of its "filth," which included voting against Hillary Clinton, a lifelong politician. Also, D.C. was partially built on wetlands along the river, which adds to the allure of the slogan.

Example

I can't wait until he comes in and drains the swamp. The looks on their faces will be priceless!
Ben Garrison cartoon of Trump draining the swamp
Ben Garrison cartoon of Trump draining the swamp

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Updated April 3, 2017

Drain the swamp definition by Slang.net

This page explains what the slang term "Drain the swamp" means. The definition, example, and related terms listed above have been written and compiled by the Slang.net team.

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