In his first address as 45th president of the United States, Donald Trump broke from a traditional message of optimism and unity and occasionally veered into a dark depiction of current-day America, several analysts say.
鈥淵ou don鈥檛 use words like 鈥榗arnage鈥� and 鈥榯ombstones鈥� and 鈥榬usting鈥� and all these words that he used for the first time in American history in an inaugural address 鈥� that is considered not good form in speechwriting,鈥� Mary Kate Cary, a former speechwriter for George H.W. Bush, told 麻豆影视 Channel on Friday.
Trump delivered his 16-minute speech from the balcony of the U.S. Capitol building, and in some small ways it conformed to history. Trump started the speech by thanking former presidents in attendance -- Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Jimmy Carter -- and ended it with 鈥淎nd God bless America.鈥�
But in many ways, the speech was unprecedented. Former speechwriter for President Bill Clinton Paul Orzulak said the closest historical comparison for Trump鈥檚 speech was Richard Nixon in 1969, who entered the White House after a long and bitter campaign against Democrat Hubert Humphrey and independent candidate George Wallace.
鈥�(Nixon) had a choice between either making a very divisive speech or a very unifying speech. He chose the unifying speech,鈥� Orzulak said. 鈥淚 feel like the president chose the divisive speech today.鈥�
鈥楾his American carnage鈥�
Some of the most stand-out phrases came mid-way through the speech. In paragraph eight, Trump said: 鈥淩usted out factories scattered like tombstones across the landscape of our nation 鈥� The crime and the gangs and the drugs that have stolen too many lives and robbed our country of so much unrealized potential. This American carnage stops right here and stops right now.鈥�
In paragraph 12, Trump said: 鈥淔rom this day forward, it's going to be only America first, America first.鈥�
Presidential biographer Conrad Black said he thought 鈥渢his American carnage鈥� was 鈥渁ctually quite a good phrase.鈥�
鈥淎merican carnage was a reference to closed factories, not dead people,鈥� Black told CTV鈥檚 Power Play.
He added that 鈥淎merica first鈥� is not an unreasonable concept.
鈥溾�業t鈥檚 the duty of the U.S. government to advance the interests of the United States,鈥� Black said.
Maryscott Greenwood, a principal with Dentons Public Policy & Regulation and former political appointee under Bill Clinton, said Trump鈥檚 speech left her 鈥渄isappointed鈥� and gave her the impression that the president was using the address for political posturing rather than inspiration.
鈥淚 think he viewed this speech unlike any other inaugural address, as the opening gambit in a negotiation. And that鈥檚 consistent with who he is as a person and he鈥檚 just throwing out the first volley,鈥� she said.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 love the speech at all. But I understand, I think, what he鈥檚 trying to do.鈥�
Campaign-style rhetoric
Cary said Trump鈥檚 negative tone was a 鈥渕issed opportunity鈥� to inspire Americans.
鈥淚 think he could鈥檝e been a little more presidential,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 thought it was very campaign-y. A lot of it was cut and pasted right out of some of his greatest hits on the campaign trail.鈥�
Orzulak agreed, calling the address 鈥渁 more eloquent version of his campaign speech.鈥�
The president also failed to unite Americans, particularly those who still have doubts about him, Cary said.
鈥淭his was a chance for him to try to reassure people and change people鈥檚 minds who didn鈥檛 vote for him and bring them together. And I鈥檓 not sure he accomplished that. I鈥檒l be very curious to see the poll numbers a week from now and see if anything has changed,鈥� she said.
However, she admitted that not everyone heard what she did.
鈥淚 will say my cab driver on the way over here loved it. (He) thought it was the most brilliant speech he had ever heard. I generally think that the people who support him heard everything they wanted to hear. The people who didn鈥檛 support him heard what they wanted to hear too,鈥� she said.
Asked what the best part of Trump鈥檚 speech was, Orzulak said: 鈥淭he end.鈥�
鈥楻e-鈥� words
As expected, Trump鈥檚 address veered into religious territory. Near the end of the speech, he referenced Psalm 133, saying: 鈥淭he Bible tells us how good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity.鈥�
Former Republican organizer Katie Robinette said she thought the speech was 鈥渧ery good鈥� and that the religious tone 鈥減aid homage鈥� to the Evangelical Christians within the Republican party.
鈥淭here was also quite a bit of talk about God and fate, and that鈥檚 not normal for Trump,鈥� she said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 not really a man of God. I wouldn鈥檛 call Trump a very faith-based person.鈥�
Renan Levine, a University of Toronto political science professor, pointed out Trump鈥檚 deliberate use of words with the prefix 鈥渞e,鈥� which may be a subtle nod to his 鈥渕ake American great again鈥� campaign slogan.
鈥淓ven at the very beginning, he was using a lot of 鈥渞e鈥� words: reclaim, restore, you will not be forgotten,鈥� he said.
