Andrew Hines, Queen Mary University of London
While Donald Trump did seek advice on his inauguration speech from his campaign speechwriter Stephen Miller, he apparently wrote the final text himself. And although it didn’t follow the traditional rules of rhetoric, the speech followed an interesting metaphoric logic all its own. The effect was to cast his inauguration as an almost messianic moment.
Even before he took the stand, it was clear that Trump wouldn’t stick to rhetorical tradition. The LA Times asked ahead of the ceremony whether the new president would rise to “a level of logic and eloquence that might bring the sceptical around to his view of the nation.” Based on Trump’s rhetorical track record, this was, the same paper admitted, a pipe dream.
The “logic and eloquence” the LA Times hoped for are not what won Trump the presidency; nor are they exactly watchwords of the moment. And indeed, his inaugural wasn’t a particularly memorable speech, rhetorically speaking – but the metaphors the new president employed revealed a lot about his intentions for office.
In classical civilisation, a ship was a common metaphor for rhetoric and the orator, the captain that steers it. When it comes to Trump, it’s tempting to assume that he cannot steer his ship. He doesn’t follow the rules, and his fragmented rhetoric, for all its emotional appeal, is somehow lesser. But it’s also one of the things that got him elected. Lesser or not, it is working somehow.
Writing my inaugural address at the Winter White House, Mar-a-Lago, three weeks ago. Looking forward to Friday. #Inauguration pic.twitter.com/S701FdTCQu
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2017