Four years to the day after leaving the White House, Donald Trump made his thunderous return this Monday, January 20. And he has lost none of his showmanship. At the end of his swearing-in in the Capitol, the billionaire immediately set the tone for his new presidency during his inauguration speech. “God saved me so that I could make America great again,” said the 47th American president, promising to attack a “corrupt and radical elite.”
Eight years after his first inauguration speech focused on “American carnage”, the new tenant of the White House launched into a diatribe with vengeful and nationalist overtones. “Donald Trump remains Donald Trump. The beginning of his speech retained a very dystopian dimension,” notes Jérôme Viala-Gaudefroy, doctor of American civilization, specialist in presidential speeches and author of the work Trump’s words (Dalloz, 2024). Interview.
L’Express: What analysis do you make of Donald Trump’s inauguration speech?
Jérôme Viala-Gaudefroy: If we compare it to the one he made in 2017, during his first term, then this inauguration speech had a slightly more positive tone. Particularly in its second part, when Donald Trump called for the unity of the country, thanked the black and Hispanic communities, or evoked a certain number of American founding myths.
However, Donald Trump remains Donald Trump. The beginning of his speech thus retained a very dystopian dimension. Particularly when he attacked the establishment, denounced corruption, or claimed that the Justice Department had been used against him. He also billed his inauguration as a “day of liberation” for America, which fits the type of metaphors already used during his 2017 inauguration speech.
Is Donald Trump’s message of unity really credible?
Donald Trump took up a classic American mythology, evoking “American exceptionalism”, or “manifest destiny”, which are concepts having been used by other presidents before him. This may appeal to some Americans, even if it remains quite abstract. We can also note that this message of unity remains very centered around his person and his story. He poses as a savior who will bring the reality of the American myth into the lives of his fellow citizens.
What does this speech bode for his future presidency?
Donald Trump generally repeated everything he had already said during his campaign. He thus presented his main priorities, recalling his intention to drill extensively, with the use of his expression “drill, baby drill”, mentioned the customs tariffs that he intends to impose on foreign countries, and insisted on expulsions. massive orders that he intends to order. While inauguration speeches are often smooth, Donald Trump has continued to advocate very radical measures. This appeals greatly to his base because he remains true to himself.
Donald Trump also spoke a lot about the figure of God…
Absolutely, he adopts an almost messianic posture. And it’s not the first time. During his first term, he was the president who used religious language the most. That doesn’t mean he actually believes it, but it’s a rhetoric he’s used extensively.
But he does not do this by chance: white evangelicals represent a very significant part of his electorate. Donald Trump therefore takes advantage of this myth of the savior. By presenting himself as the victim of legal proceedings and assassination attempts, he poses as both a hero and a martyr, who, in his words, was “saved by God to make America great again.” .
In a second speech in front of his supporters, Donald Trump was even more incisive by attacking Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi and Liz Cheney, before presenting the attackers of the Capitol as “hostages” then to talk about “the rigged 2020 election”. How can we explain this difference in tone with his inauguration speech?
Donald Trump’s inauguration speech was written, probably by his team, and was read from a teleprompter. Whereas the second was not: it was not refined with language elements and came out of his guts. From then on, we found the usual Trump. Basically, this second speech shows us that Donald Trump has not changed. And it’s a good way for him to galvanize his supporters.
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