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WASHINGTON — John F. Kennedy inspired Americans with the words, “Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.” Franklin D. Roosevelt assured them there’s “nothing to fear but fear itself.”
Abraham Lincoln sought to heal a nation divided by civil war by calling for “malice toward none” in a speech that would later be carved into the wall of the Lincoln Memorial.
These inaugural speeches have become part of the cultural fabric of America and are cited constantly in calls for patriotism, unity and peace.
President-elect Donald Trump’s first speech as president in 2017 painted a bleak picture of what he called “American carnage.” As Trump returns to the White House on Monday, the world is watching to see whether the Republican leader will take a different approach.
Not all inaugural speeches stand the test of time, said Aaron Kall, the director of debate for the University of Michigan. They do, however, set the tone for the four years of an administration.
Eight years ago, Trump’s speech described a dwindling nation riddled with crime and drugs and fiercely criticized the policies of his predecessors. The approximately 16-minute speech was peppered with isolationist “America First” rhetoric.
At its conclusion, former president George W. Bush reportedly called it weird.
“It wasn’t very well received just because it was very dark in tone, about crime and immigration,” said Kall, an expert in speeches and politics. “And you want something a bit more uplifting and rallying.”
Not much in Trump’s messaging has changed in the years since. He campaigned on claims that violent migrants were crossing the border in droves, and on tackling crime and saving the economy. He repeatedly called the U.S. a nation in decline.
Since the election, he’s pushed both isolationism and American imperialism. He threatened to impose 25 per cent tariffs on Canada and Mexico, initially saying the duties were linked to border security. He later connected the proposed levies on Canada to trade disparities and defence funding.
Trump mused about using “economic force” to make Canada the 51st state. He wouldn’t rule out using the military to take over Greenland and the Panama Canal.
Despite these comments, Kall said he believes a different kind of speech is in store when the Republican leader gives his second inaugural address on Monday.
“It doesn’t mean everything will change, but there’s some reasons to believe it could be a little different,” he said.
Trump has a lot more confidence going into this speech, Kall said. He won the popular vote and Republicans now control both the House and the Senate. Trump has raised a lot more money for the celebration and his transition is rolling out more smoothly than it did in 2017.
More importantly, he’s done this before.
“I think it could be more confident, forward-looking and optimistic because he’s more confident,” Kall said. “He’s already done this job for four years. He feels like he has a mandate.”
Kall said he’s watching to see if Trump follows historical norms by thanking outgoing President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris.
There are many reasons to be skeptical about the idea of Trump embracing unity as he returns to America’s highest office, Kall added. But a lot has happened since Trump’s first term, including the assassination attempt last summer.
Inauguration addresses are typically much shorter and less detailed than the State of the Union, another important speech usually given by presidents once a year, but this one should still provide some details about priorities in Trump’s policy agenda.
Monday’s speech will likely reference Trump’s tax cuts and immigration policy, as well as talking points on decentralizing power, Kall said. He may touch on trade policies and tariffs but he’s unlikely to offer significant detail, he added.
Trump has pledged to sign an executive order Monday to put his tariff plan in place. Canadian officials are preparing a response but it remains unclear what the president-elect will ultimately do.
“This will kind of be the calm before the storm,” Kall said of the speech.
“And once it’s all over, then things will be back to a very rapid pace. So, this may be the last calming portion of the administration.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 19, 2025.
— With files from The Associated Press
Kelly Geraldine Malone, The Canadian Press