Intention

Donald Trump’s inaugural address is a speech that focuses on American issues related to the economy, foreign policy, or the political class.

As the speech was delivered when Donald Trump took the oath of office and became the President of the US, his overall intention with the speech was to present his vision for America’s future during his term.

To this end, the speaker first wants to gain the public’s acceptance and legitimize himself as a leader who is different from the typical politician: “we are transferring power from Washington, D.C. and giving it back to you, the people.” (ll. 16-17); “For too long, a small group in our nation's capital has reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost.” (ll. 18-20)

After that, the speaker aims to convince the audience that the US is going through a period of decay (socially, economically, militarily) mostly caused by the political class. To achieve this intention, Trump uses negative language and appeals to people’s negative emotions: “forgotten men and women” (l. 35), “trapped in poverty” (l. 44), “American carnage” (l. 50), etc.

By painting a grim picture of America, the speaker can legitimize the future actions he intends to take and convince the audience to accept them: “America will start winning again, winning like never before. We will bring back our jobs. We will bring back our borders. We will b...