Make America Great Again Rhetorical Analysis Essay

The election and inauguration of Donald J. Trump as the forty-fifth President of the United States marked the beginning of a new era of American politics. During his campaign, Trump eschewed the status quo. He was loud. He was bold. His slogan of “Make America Great Again!” garnered a massive response from Americans across the political spectrum. This sentiment permeated President Trump’s inaugural address; there is not a single sentence in which his unabashed pro-America stance is not present. The powerful rhetoric of President Trump’s speech is more than a thank-you to those who voted for him; it is more than an introduction to his presidency. It is an address of unity, of solidarity. It is a reminder of present brokenness and a promise

of future greatness. It is a declaration to all Americans that when they unite together, America is indeed a truly great nation. This call for unity, coupled with the pro-Americanness that featured so prominently in his campaign, is Trump’s intended theme. He appealed to every American, and though some rejected his message, his inaugural speech largely succeeded in promoting his “America first” agenda.
Before diving into Trump’s inaugural speech, one must ask what it means to “make America great again.” This declaration contains many implications, the most obvious of which is that America is presently not great. President Trump’s inclusion of the word “again,” however, hints at America’s former glory to which he wants to return. And what does it mean to be “great”? Trump makes it clear that, to him, it is putting America first. It is prioritizing our own people before those of other nations. The slogan “make America great again” is an emotional one—appealing to the pathos of the nation. It preys upon the patriotism deep in the hearts of the American people, stirring within them a pride for their country and a yearning to make it better. For older generations, it may bring back nostalgia for the “good old days” of baseball games and Grandma’s apple pie, when families remained intact and a love of God and country was everywhere. It instills a desire in younger Americans who grew up in a broken society for a better future for their children. Of course, this only works if one acknowledges America’s greatness, past or present, though as a whole, Americans generally recognize this.
President Trump campaigned almost entirely on the offensive, and his inaugural address continues this trend. The difference, however, is the manner in which his speech is delivered. Gone is the derision he showed when disparaging “Crooked Hillary” or “Lyin’ Ted.” Gone is the uncensored loathing for Obama’s presidency. Instead, in his introduction, Trump speaks graciously of the Obamas, as well as former Presidents Carter, Clinton, and Bush. The intent of this tone-softening is twofold. First, it attempts to present Trump in a new light, one of civility and respect that is to be expected from a president. Second, it aims to distract listeners from the hostility among President Trump and his opponents, whom he later mentions, though his tone is less accusatory than when he was campaigning. This change in tone is largely ineffective regarding non-supporters. Some open-minded moderates may have been persuaded to give him a chance and respect his authority as president, but the riots and protests following the president’s inauguration show that the shift in rhetoric did very little to appease his opposition.
During his campaign, President Trump focused heavily on the importance of the average American. He visited rural towns and suburban factories; he engaged small-town farmers, coal miners, and other Americans with less-than-glamorous jobs. His inaugural speech maintains this respect for the seemingly forgotten people of America. “Jobs left, and the factories closed,” he said, describing situations all too familiar for many small towns in the Rust Belt and Great Plains. “One by one, the factories shuttered and left our shores, with not even a thought about the millions upon millions of American workers left behind.” People living in areas where this is the case overwhelmingly voted in favor of President Trump, but his mentioning of them in his inaugural speech is personal. It inspires hope in these people, something they desperately need in a time of economic uncertainty. Yet Trump does not ignore other Americans; he mentions “mothers and children trapped in poverty in our inner cities” and “the crime and gangs and drugs that have stolen too many lives.” Trump sees America as broken, and he vows to fix it.
President Trump’s consistent usage of words like we, us, our, and you shift attention away from himself and onto the American people.

He says, “This, the United States of America, is your country. What truly matters is not which party controls our government, but whether our government is controlled by the people.” Though there is, of course, still much disconnect between the average American and politicians in Washington, Trump does not focus on that at the moment. By referring to the United States as our country or even your country, he hopes to assuage the fear of a large, centralized government with no respect for those who voted it into power. No matter one’s gender, race, socioeconomic status, or political affiliation, Trump assures listeners they are all Americans. “We are one nation…We share one heart, one home, and one glorious destiny,” he proclaims. This line is the most blatant manifestation of President Trump’s agenda for his inaugural address. His goal is to spark solidarity amongst the American people, unified by their love of the nation and desire to see it flourish. The appeal to pathos is strong, and for his supporters, at least, it

works.
But the rhetorical success of President Trump does not extend far past his support base.

His ethos is weak: He had never held any position of political power. He had just spent the past several months spouting inflammatory ideas—whether true or not—that alienated much of the country. For his opponents, this change in tone is too little too late. Had President Trump began with this respectful, optimistic tone, his opposition would be far smaller, though the response may not have been as significant as the “MAGA Movement.” However, since Trump delivered such severe rhetoric prior to his election, this inaugural speech can come across as fraudulent. Indeed, the rapid progression from calling Rosie O’Donnell a pig to quoting the Bible when promoting unity is, to put it mildly, a dramatic shift. The logos, too, is severely lacking. “We will no longer accept politicians who are all talk and no action—constantly complaining but never doing anything about it,” President Trump declares, yet he offers no plans for achieving the lofty goals he vows to accomplish. “I will never, ever let you down”—another impossible promise. These pledges are vague, but it does not matter. That is not the goal of this

address.
No, Trump strived to make listeners feel good. Most political rhetoric, regardless of party or ideology, has the same intent, though many on the right, especially, will deny this. After all, most individuals tend to act based on how they feel rather than what they think would be best. It comes as no surprise, then, that politicians continually appeal to their audience’s pathos. President Trump’s inaugural address is no different. He maintained his patriotic “make America great again” stance and fleshed it out into a speech with an appeal for every American. While he temporarily restricted his brazen disregard for typical political discourse, his message was fundamentally the same. President Trump succeeded in displaying his love for America, though his solicitation of unity went largely unanswered. It is now up to him to maintain this rhetoric and manifest it through his actions as president.