Rhetorical Appeals and Leadership Style in Trump’s Inaugural Speeches

The current president of the United States, Donald J. Trump, has garnered interest in the political discourse mainly for his controversial rhetorical figures of speech. Hence, this study aims to provide a rhetorical assessment of Trump's political communication during his inauguration by employing Aristotle’s rhetorical appeals: ethos, pathos, and logos. Aristotle's rhetorical framework offers a helpful analytical foundation for analysing how Trump uses his inauguration speeches to create political legitimacy, rally popular support, and ideological narratives. The findings reveal that inaugural speeches from his first term (2017) and second term (2025) invoked a nationalist sentiment, which contributed to his presidential election. Besides that, his rhetoric reflected themes associated with populist leadership. His leadership style was also examined to provide insight into his ideology and persuasive skills. The findings offer insight and contribute to the body of populist political discourse and rhetorical leadership.

Rhetorical Strategies, Populist, Political Discourse

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