President Donald Trump made news on April 2, 2025, when he signed an executive order proclaiming English the official language of the United States. But in classic Trump style, the news wasn’t delivered with slick language–it was delivered full of his signature mix of expletives, exaggeration, and insults.
As the sole individual to hold both the 45th and 47th presidency of the United States, Trump’s second term has pushed political rhetoric to new extremes and lows. His inflammatory speeches are more drama than statesmanship, filled with vivid metaphors and vicious attacks on friends and foes alike.
At one point, as he was delivering a speech supporting new tariffs, Trump bragged about world leaders “kissing [his] a**” in order to get trade agreements. His unfettered statements went beyond policy, as he called foreign nations such as China, India, and Brazil “abusers” and “scavengers” of America’s economy.
While critics decry his language as undignified, supporters see it as refreshing honesty. At a White House press conference, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended Trump’s swearing, saying it reflects the frustration many Americans feel but are afraid to voice.
Trump’s crude language is not new. On campaign trails and in State of the Union speeches, he’s turned profanity into a signature of his political style. Previous presidents used to swear off the record, but Trump uses expletives as rhetorical bombs in public making campaign rallies into raw, unvarnished displays of populist passion.
His recent “Liberation Day” tariffs speech used words like “plundering” and “rape” to characterize decades of trade policy, a dramatic example of how Trump employs shock value to make his points.
Love him or hate him, Trump has remade presidential rhetoric. His latest executive order is about language, but his style speaks more loudly blunt, boisterous, and uniquely his own. Welcome to the “Profanity Presidency.
