The particular dialect or language that a person chooses to use on any occasion is called a code

Copyright © 2025 The Author
IDEAS is licensed under CC-BY-SA 4.0 License

Issued by English study program of IAIN Palopo
IDEAS 
Journal on Language Teaching and Learning, Linguistics and Literature

ISSN 2338-4778 (Print)
ISSN 2548-4192 (Online)
Volume 13, Number 2, December 2025
pp. 6541 - 6552

I Made Suartika, Ida Ayu Putri Gita Ardiantari
An Analysis of Assertive Speech Act in Donald Trump Inauguration 2025 Speech in YouTube
IDEAS, Vol. 13, No. 2, December 2025
ISSN 2338-4778 (Print)
ISSN 2548-4192 (Online)

An Analysis of Assertive Speech Act in Donald Trump Inauguration 2025 Speech in YouTube
I Made Suartika1, Ida Ayu Putri Gita Ardiantari2
1,2 Universitas Mahasaraswati Denpasar
Corresponding E-Mail: Suartikam63@gmail.com

Received: 2025-08-29 Accepted: 2025-11-16
DOI: 10.24256/ideas.v13i2.7906

Abstract 
This study aims to identify and explain the types and functions of assertive speech acts used in Donald Trump’s 2025 inauguration speech. The data were taken from a video entitled “Donald Trump Inauguration Speech 2025” uploaded on the official CNN YouTube Channel (accessed on February 5, 2025, with a duration of 23 minutes and 14 seconds, and 5.8 million views at the time of analysis). This research employs a qualitative descriptive approach, referring to Searle’s (1979) theory of illocutionary speech acts. The findings show that out of 56 assertive utterances, there are five types of assertive speech acts: claiming (25%), stating (21.43%), complaining (19.64%), reporting (17.86%), and explaining (16.07%). The claiming type was the most frequently used, indicating that Trump often emphasized his beliefs and evaluations of the political situation to strengthen his message and shape the audience’s perception. This study expands the application of speech act theory in political contexts and provides insight into how language is strategically used to build legitimacy, trust, and a leader’s image.
Keywords: Assertive Speech Acts, Searle, Political Speech, Pragmatics, Donald Trump.
 
Introduction 
Language is not only used to share information but also to perform actions through words. This concept is the core of pragmatics, as first explained by J.L. Austin (1962) in his speech act theory. Austin divided speech acts into three kinds: locutionary acts, which focus on saying something with meaning; illocutionary acts, which show the speaker’s purpose or intention; and perlocutionary acts, which describe the effect of the utterance on the listener. Among these, the illocutionary act is the most essential because it reveals what the speaker truly wants to achieve in communication. 
Later, John Searle (1975) refined Austin’s idea by grouping illocutionary acts into five categories: assertives, directives, commissives, expressives, and declaratives. Assertive acts are particularly significant because they express the speaker’s beliefs or opinions and aim to make others accept them as truth. In political communication, assertive speech acts play a crucial role in influencing public opinion, legitimizing power, and spreading ideological messages.
In politics, one of the most powerful forms of speech is the presidential inaugural address. This kind of speech is not only a symbol of transferring authority but also a persuasive tool used to unite citizens, share visions, and strengthen legitimacy (Campbell & Jamieson, 2008). Donald Trump’s 2025 inaugural address offers an interesting case for pragmatic analysis. The speech followed Trump’s narrow win over Kamala Harris in the 2024 U.S. presidential election, a time when the nation was deeply divided. 
Broadcast live and later uploaded to CNN’s official YouTube channel, the speech highlighted issues such as nationalism, border security, economic protectionism, and America’s renewed strength. Compared with his 2017 inaugural speech, analysts from Axios (2025) and Politico (2025) noted that Trump’s 2025 address sounded more assertive and used many personal pronouns like I, our, and you, giving it a more personal and persuasive tone. YouTube is an important source in this research because it allows people around the world to access and analyze political speeches easily. As a platform that combines voice, visuals, and body language, YouTube provides richer data for studying how language and delivery work together to persuade audiences. This accessibility shows how political communication now reaches global audiences and adapts to the digital era.
Although many researchers have examined Trump’s speeches using speech act theory, most studies have focused on general classifications of illocutionary acts rather than specifically on assertive acts. Previous works usually analyzed all five categories assertive, directive, commissive, expressive, and declarative without emphasizing how assertive acts help build truth claims and political credibility. This gap is crucial because assertive acts show how leaders’ express beliefs, frame ideology, and persuade the public by presenting opinions as facts. Therefore, this study aims to fill that gap by analyzing the types and functions of assertive speech acts in Trump’s 2025 inaugural address.
Some previous studies support this research focus. Pratika (2025) studied illocutionary acts in the 2024 U.S. presidential debate between Harris and Trump and found that assertive acts were the most dominant because they expressed credibility and defended political stances. Similarly, Agagon (2024) examined President Marcos Jr.’s 2022–2023 State of the Nation Addresses and also found assertive acts dominant when describing government achievements and policies. In another context, Barokah and Areni (2025) found that representative acts were common in TED Talks, showing how such acts work in educational settings. Meanwhile, Haryanti, Saddhono, and Anindyarini (2024) found directive acts most frequent in President Jokowi’s Instagram posts, while Qutsy et al. (2024) observed that Joe Biden’s UN General Assembly speech used representative acts to promote diplomacy and cooperation. These studies highlight how assertive speech acts often dominate public and political communication, yet none have specifically analyzed their use in Trump’s 2025 inaugural speech on YouTube a global and multimodal platform.
Based on this research gap, the present study focuses on identifying and explaining the types and functions of assertive speech acts in Donald Trump’s 2025 inaugural address using Searle’s (1979) framework. The study has two main aims: (1) to identify the kinds of assertive speech acts used, and (2) to examine their frequency, proportion, and pragmatic roles. Accordingly, two research questions are formulated:(1) What types of assertive speech acts appear in Donald Trump’s 2025 inaugural address? And (2) What are the functions and frequencies of these assertive acts in expressing political meaning?
Theoretically, this study contributes to speech act research in political linguistics, especially in showing how assertive acts reflect ideology and power. Practically, it offers insights into how political leaders use language strategically to persuade audiences, build legitimacy, and shape public opinion. By focusing on a YouTube-based speech, this study also illustrates how political communication evolves in the digital age where visibility, accessibility, and influence extend far beyond national boundaries.

Method 
This study used a qualitative descriptive method to examine the use of assertive speech acts in Donald Trump’s 2025 inaugural address. The qualitative approach was chosen because it allows for a detailed description and interpretation of language use without depending on numbers or statistical data. The research data came from a video titled “Watch President Donald Trump’s full 2025 Inauguration Speech”, uploaded on CNN’s official YouTube channel (URL: https://youtu.be/BNArBr_J8mA?si=a013wRe_lpSO2Z1r). The video was accessed on June 20, 2025, had a total duration of 30 minutes and 03 seconds, and had around 1.4 million views when the analysis was conducted. This source was chosen because it is an official and publicly accessible version of the speech, ensuring that the data used are both authentic and reliable.
The data in this research consisted of utterances containing assertive speech acts, such as statements, claims, explanations, and descriptions. The researcher manually transcribed the entire speech to maintain accuracy and completeness, then compared the transcription with YouTube’s auto-generated subtitles to verify the results. Each sentence was carefully examined to identify assertive indicators, including verbs that express stating (say, declare, claim), reporting (report, explain), or asserting (believe, affirm). Afterward, the utterances were classified based on Searle’s (1979) typology of assertive acts, which includes stating, asserting, reporting, and claiming.
The process of data analysis followed several systematic steps. First, the researcher repeatedly watched the video to gain a full understanding of its context. Second, after transcribing the speech, each utterance was coded according to its type of assertive act using color-coded highlights to mark the categories clearly. Third, the utterances were analyzed by considering both their linguistic form and illocutionary intent that is, the speaker’s intended meaning behind the words. To strengthen reliability, another linguistics expert was invited to review the classification results independently. Differences in interpretation were discussed until both parties reached an agreement.
In addition to Searle’s framework, this study also used Leech’s (1983) theory of pragmatic meaning and social function to explain the communicative purposes of the assertive acts. Leech’s theory helped interpret whether the utterances were intended to inform, persuade, or build Trump’s image and credibility as a leader. Combining these two theoretical approaches provided a deeper understanding of how assertive acts functioned within a political context.
This research also took ethical considerations into account. Since the data were taken from a publicly available source (CNN’s official YouTube channel), no special ethical approval was required. Nevertheless, the researcher ensured that all data were handled responsibly and cited accurately. The research findings are presented in descriptive form, supported by tables and selected excerpts that show the types, frequency, and communicative functions of assertive speech acts, along with relevant examples from the speech transcript.

Results 
This study aims to identify and analyze the types and functions of assertive speech acts in Donald Trump’s 2025 inauguration speech, which was uploaded to CNN’s official YouTube channel. The analysis was conducted based on Searle’s (1979) classification of illocutionary acts, focusing on the assertive category utterances that express belief, state facts, or evaluate a situation. Each part of the speech transcript was carefully examined to identify assertive utterances, which were then categorized according to their type and function.
The analysis identified 56 assertive utterances, classified into five types: claiming, stating, complaining, reporting, and explaining. The frequency of each type is presented in Table 1 below.

Table 1. Types of Assertive Speech Act in Donald Trump Inauguration 2025 Speech in YouTube
	Types of Assertive 
	Frequency
	Percentage (%) 

	Claiming 
	14
	25.00% 

	Stating 
	12
	21.43% 

	Complaining 
	11
	19.64% 

	Reporting 
	10
	17.86% 

	Explaining 
	9
	16.07% 

	Total: 
	56
	100% 


From the table and chart, it can be seen that claiming is the most dominant type (25.00%), followed by stating (21.43%), complaining (19.64%), reporting (17.86%), and explaining (16.07%). These percentages were calculated from the total of 56 utterances and rounded to two decimal places.
Descriptive analysis shows that claiming and stating together account for almost half of all assertive utterances (46.43%), indicating Trump’s rhetorical focus on reinforcing belief and projecting confidence. Meanwhile, reporting and explaining appear more frequently in the middle and final parts of the speech, where Trump elaborates on policies and provides justifications. In contrast, complaining occurs mainly in the opening sections, where he criticizes the previous administration to create a sense of urgency for change.
To provide data context, ten representative examples were selected two from each type of assertive speech act to illustrate the identified patterns (see Examples 1–10 in the Discussion section). Compared with other political speeches (e.g., Jatmiko, 2023; Barokah & Areni, 2025), the total number of assertive utterances in Trump’s speech is relatively high, showing that assertive speech acts are a dominant linguistic strategy in political discourse, used to build trust and persuade the audience.

Discussion 
Based on the analysis, five types of assertive speech acts were found in Donald Trump’s 2025 inauguration speech on YouTube: claiming, stating, complaining, reporting, and explaining. Among these, claiming appeared most frequently with 14 instances (25.00%), followed by stating with 12 instances (21.43%), complaining with 11 instances (19.64%), reporting with 10 instances (17.86%), and explaining with 9 instances (16.07%). The dominance of claiming shows that Trump often emphasized expressions of belief and evaluation to strengthen his arguments, rather than merely delivering information. This reflects a speech strategy aimed at persuading and influencing the audience with clear and firm statements.
The fairly frequent use of stating indicates that Trump also often expressed facts or situations directly to provide context and support his message. Complaining, at 19.64%, shows how he voiced criticism or dissatisfaction with certain conditions, building a narrative about the need for change. Meanwhile, reporting and explaining are important because they show how Trump provided information and explanations about political, economic, or social issues, helping the audience understand the background and logic of his statements.
Overall, the pattern of these five types of assertive speech acts shows that Trump’s speech emphasized beliefs, evaluations, and the delivery of information in a way that shaped audience perception. The dominance of claiming and stating highlights assertion of personal views and convictions, while complaining, reporting, and explaining support this by offering context, critique, and explanation. Thus, the speech demonstrates a political communication strategy that combines facts, opinions, and persuasive arguments to guide, convince, and mobilize the audience in line with Trump’s political agenda.

1. Claiming 
According to Searle (1979), claiming is part of assertive speech acts, which occurs when someone states something they believe to be true. In this act, the speaker tries to confirm or defend a fact, opinion, or belief, and takes responsibility for the truth of their words. Claiming shows the speaker’s confidence in what is said, for example by stating “This country has great potential to develop.” Therefore, claiming can be understood as an utterance that expresses a truth claim.

Data 1
"I return to the presidency confident and optomistic that we are at the strart of a thrilling new era of national success" (02:20-02:28)
Analysis
The sentence above can be called assertive because Donald Trump expresses his belief and opinion about the real situation. He states that he has returned to the presidency with confidence (confident) and hope (optimistic). This shows his attitude and standpoint toward the condition of America at that time.The part that makes this sentence a claiming type is seen in the phrase “we are at the start of a thrilling new era of national success.” This is a claim about America’s future. Trump is not reporting a fact that can be directly proven, but rather expressing an optimistic belief that is predictive, meaning that America will enter a new era of national success. This claim also has a political purpose, which is to convince the people that his leadership will bring great progress.So, the key words that highlight the claim in this sentence are “confident and optimistic”, which show Trump’s personal belief, and the phrase “at the start of a thrilling new era of national success”, which expresses a claim about the country’s future. Therefore, this sentence belongs to assertive claiming.

Data 2
“My recent election is a mandate to completely and totally reverse a horrible betrayal” (05:24-05:31)
Analysis
The sentence above can be categorized as an assertive speech act of claiming. Because Donald Trump expresses his view about the meaning of his election victory. He emphasizes that the victory is a mandate, not just an ordinary result, which shows a claim of the political legitimacy he holds. The claim is made even stronger with the phrase “to completely and totally reverse a horrible betrayal”, which reflects his belief that the people support him to undo a great 
that change begins that day and that they have to support it without any other option.
2. Stating
According to Searle (1979), stating is a type of assertive speech act where the speaker gives information or explains something they see as true. The purpose is simply to tell or share a fact or opinion, without trying to force or influence the listener, for example saying “The weather is very hot today.”

Data 3
"From this day forward , our country will flourish and be respected again all over the world" (00:58-01:03)
Analysis
This sentence can be categorized as assertive stating because it contains Trump’s statement of belief about the future of America. In this utterance, Trump is not giving orders, making requests, or promising something, but rather expressing his view so that people believe what he says.The words “will flourish” and “be respected again” emphasize his confidence that the country will become better. Meanwhile, the phrase “From this day forward” indicates that the change begins right at the moment the speech is delivered. Therefore, this sentence is simply a direct statement of his belief, which makes it clearly belong to assertive stating.

Data 4
“Our sovereignty will be reclaimed. Our safety will be restored” (01:30-01:36)
Analysis
This sentence is categorized as assertive stating because it contains a firm statement about what the speaker believes will happen to the country in the future. In this sentence, the speaker is not giving orders, making requests, or promising anything, but expressing their belief so that the audience trusts what is being said. Words like “will be reclaimed” and “will be restored” emphasize the speaker’s confidence that the country’s sovereignty and safety will return. The use of “will” shows certainty and conviction, making this a direct statement of what the speaker believes will happen, not just a hope. Therefore, this sentence clearly belongs to assertive stating because its purpose is to communicate the speaker’s belief firmly to the audience.

3. Complaining
According to Searle (1979), complaining is part of assertive speech acts, which happens when someone expresses dissatisfaction or objection to a situation. In this case, the speaker still states something they believe to be true, but with a tone of complaint or disappointment. For example, saying “The service here is very slow” shows criticism or discomfort. Thus, complaining can be understood as a way for the speaker to express their view of the truth while also showing their unhappiness.

Data 5
“We now have a government that cannot manage even a simple crisis at home, while at the same time stumbling into a continuing catalog of catastrophic events abroad” (03:11-03:22)
Analysis
The sentence above is categorized as assertive complaining because it contains criticism and complaints from Donald Trump about the government’s performance. In this sentence, Trump expresses his dissatisfaction and his view of the government’s condition, which he considers factual. The words “cannot manage even a simple crisis” show the government’s weakness in handling domestic issues, while “stumbling into a continuing catalog of catastrophic events abroad” emphasizes the mistakes and problems occurring internationally. This sentence is not a request or an order but a direct statement that criticizes, making it clearly an example of assertive complaining

Data 6
“It fails to protect our magnificent law-abiding American citizens, but provides sanctuary and protection for dangerous criminals, many from prisons and mental institutions that have illegally entered our country from the world” (03:23-03:38)
Analysis
The sentence above is categorized as assertive complaining because it contains direct criticism from Donald Trump toward the government. In this sentence, Trump expresses his dissatisfaction with the state of the country’s security. Words like “fails to protect” emphasize that the government is failing to protect law-abiding citizens, while “provides sanctuary and protection for dangerous criminals” shows that the government is instead protecting dangerous people. The addition of “many from prisons and mental institutions that have illegally entered our country” reinforces his criticism of the risks arising from these policies. This sentence is not an order or a request, but a firm statement expressing complaint, making it clearly an example of assertive complaining, aimed at making the audience aware of the issues and understand Trump’s dissatisfaction with the government.
4. Reporting
According to Searle (1979), reporting is part of assertive speech acts because the speaker shares an event or information that actually happened. In this case, the speaker tries to inform or report something without adding personal opinion. For example, saying “Yesterday, there was a big flood in this city” is considered reporting because it presents a fact. Therefore, reporting can be understood as a way for the speaker to tell others about an event or situation. 

Data 7
“As we gather today, our government confronts a crisis of trust” (02:53-02:58)
Analysis
This sentence represents a strong example of an assertive speech act, with its primary function being to riporting.because Donald Trump presents information that he believes to be true about the state of the government. In this sentence, he is not giving orders, making requests, or offering advice, but rather reporting the situation as he sees it. Words like “confronts a crisis of trust” emphasize that there is a serious problem with public confidence in the government. The phrase “As we gather today” makes the statement feel immediate and relevant to the audience present. Therefore, this sentence functions as a firm reporting statement, communicating facts or conditions that Trump believes to be true so the audience can understand and recognize the situation he describes. 

Data 8
“A short time from now, we are going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America” (21:35-21:42)
Analysis
This sentence is categorized as reporting assertive because Donald Trump directly informs the audience about a plan that will take place soon. He is not giving orders, making requests, or offering advice, but clearly communicates the decision. Words like “we are going to be changing” show that the name change will definitely happen, while “A short time from now” emphasizes that it will occur in the near future. By mentioning the new name, “the Gulf of America”, Trump makes the information even clearer. This sentence functions as a firm reporting statement reporting assertive because its purpose is to give clear and factual information so the audience can understand the action announced by Trump.

5. Explaining 
According to Searle (1979), explaining is part of assertive speech acts because the speaker gives information or reasons so that the listener can understand something. The speaker tries to clarify facts, concepts, or processes in a clear and logical way. For example, saying “The flood happened because of heavy rain for several days” is considered explaining because it shows the cause of an event. Therefore, explaining can be understood as a way for the speaker to help the listener understand something more clearly. 

Data 9
“The inflation crisis was caused by massive overspending and escalating energy prices” (13:30-13:35)
Analysis
The sentence is an example of explaining assertive because Donald Trump directly explains the cause of the problem that he believes to be true. In this sentence, Trump is not giving orders, making requests, or offering advice, but providing an explanation to the audience about what is causing inflation. Words like “was caused by” show a cause-and-effect relationship, while “massive overspending” emphasizes government overspending and “escalating energy prices” highlights rising energy costs as an additional factor. By mentioning these factors, Trump helps the audience understand the reasons behind the inflation crisis. This sentence functions as a firm explanatory statement explaining assertive because it gives clear and factual reasons, allowing the audience to recognize and understand the causes of the current economic problem.

Data 10
“President McKinley made our country very rich through tariffs and through talent” (22:02-22:09)
Analysis
The sentence is an example of explaining assertive because Donald Trump clearly explains the reasons behind America’s economic success. He is not giving orders, making requests, or offering advice, but providing the audience with an explanation of how the country became wealthy. Words like “made our country very rich” emphasize the achieved outcome, while “through tariffs and through talent” explain the ways or factors that led to that success, namely through tariff policies and leadership ability. By mentioning these factors, Trump aims to help the audience understand the causes and logic behind the economic success, making this sentence a firm explanatory statement explaining assertive because it presents real reasons that allow the audience to understand and accept his perspective.

Conclusion 
Based on the results of this study, Donald Trump’s 2025 inauguration speech used several types of assertive speech acts, namely claiming, stating, complaining, reporting, and explaining. The most frequently used type was claiming, which shows that Trump often emphasized personal beliefs and evaluations to strengthen his arguments and influence how the audience perceives certain issues, rather than merely conveying information. Stating was also used frequently to present facts or situations directly, while complaining reflected criticism or dissatisfaction with certain conditions, building a narrative about the need for change. Meanwhile, reporting and explaining helped provide information, context, and clarification so that the audience could better understand the background and reasoning behind his statements.
Overall, the speech demonstrates that language is not only a tool for conveying information, but also a strategy to persuade, guide, and influence the audience in line with Trump’s political agenda. By using various assertive types, Trump was able to assert his beliefs, provide criticism, give context, and explain important issues clearly. These findings highlight the importance of understanding assertive speech acts in political communication, as language can serve as a means to shape public opinion and build credibility. This study also opens opportunities for future research to explore other types of speech acts or compare communication strategies of different political figures to gain a deeper understanding of language use in political contexts.

References 
Austin, J. L. (1962). How to do things with words: The William James Lectures delivered at Harvard University in 1955. Oxford: Oxford University Press (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press).
Barokah, A. U., & Areni, G. K. D. (2025). An Analysis of Illocutionary Acts in TED Talks 2024 on English Language Learning. Jurnal Penelitian Pendidikan, 42(2). https://doi.org/10.15294/jpp.v42i2.31333
CNN (2025, Januari 20). Watch President Donald Trump’s full 2025 inauguration speech YouTube. https://youtu.be/BNArBr_J8mA
Haryanti, P., Saddhono, K., & Anindyarini, A. (2024). Illocutionary speech acts in President Jokowi’s Instagram account: A multimodal pragmatic study. International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI), 11(3), 83–103. https://doi.org/10.51244/IJRSI.2024.1103009
Masruddin, M., Amir, F., Langaji, A., & Rusdiansyah, R. (2023). Conceptualizing linguistic politeness in light of age. International Journal of Society, Culture & Language, 11(3), 41-55.
Mick Danielle T. Agagon et al. (2024) “Illocutionary Speech Acts used by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in his 2022 and 2023 State of the Nation Addresses” https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11216984
Nasriandi, N., & Masruddin, M. (2021). The Use of British Parliamentary Debate Style in Teaching Speaking Skill. IDEAS: Journal on English Language Teaching and Learning, Linguistics and Literature, 9(1).
Pratika, S. (2025). Illocutionary acts in the 2024 ABC News presidential debate between Harris and Trump: A pragmatic study. JURNALISTRENDi: Jurnal Linguistik, Sastra, dan Pendidikan, 10(1), 161–172. https://doi.org/10.51673/jurnalistrendi.v10i1.2378
Qutsy, D. A. C., Susanto, D. A., & Nugrahani, D. (2024). An Analysis of Illocutionary Acts Used in Joe Biden’s Speech Before the 77th UN General Assembly. Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Holistik, 3(3), 147-166. https://doi.org/10.55927/jiph.v3i3.10820 
Searle, J. R. (1975). Indirect speech acts. In P. Cole & J. L. Morgan (Eds.), Speech acts (Vol. 3, pp. 59–82). New York: Academic Press.
Searle, J. R. (1975). Speech acts and recent linguistics. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 263(1), 27–? https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749 6632.1975.tb41567.x


6541

12



11


image1.png