A short history of US presidential inaugurations by Dr Brian A Murphy
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Analysis: The tone and content of an inaugural speech has often served as a president's mission statement for the next four years.
Donald Trump is set to be sworn in as the 47th US president next Monday, returning to the White House for a non-consecutive second term. In a surprising shift, Trump announced that his second inaugural address will emphasise "unity", an unexpected theme for one of America's most polarising political figures. During a December interview on NBC's Meet the Press, Trump told host Kristen Welker that "it’s going to be a message of unity."
If Trump does use his inauguration speech to present himself as a unifier with a more inclusive tone, it will sharply contrast with his 2017 inaugural. That speech, known for its dark tone and bleak depiction of "American carnage", drew criticism, with former president George W. Bush reportedly saying "that was some weird sh*t."
Rhetoric
Reflecting his vehement campaign rhetoric, Trump criticised Washington elites for ignoring the American people and highlighted urban crime and drug problems. Declaring that "the American carnage stops right here, right now," he pledged to make America "strong again, wealthy again, proud again, safe again, and, yes, great again."
Trump may draw inspiration for his inauguration speech from Andrew Jackson, the seventh US president and often cited as his favourite. Trump has praised Jackson as "an amazing figure in American history" and hung Jackson's portrait in the Oval Office during his first term.
Jackson’s 1829 and 1833 inauguration speeches were more diplomatic than his populist and robust campaign rhetoric, though his 1832 Bank Veto message best encapsulates his defiance of the establishment. Jackson stated, "It is to be regretted that the rich and powerful too often bend the acts of government to their selfish purposes…. the humble members of society – the farmers, mechanics, and laborers – …have a right to complain of the injustice of their Government."
Political Outsider
Trump has frequently echoed similar themes, portraying himself as a political outsider challenging Washington elites and fighting for the common people. Reflecting Jackson's populist call to reclaim power for ordinary citizens, Trump has positioned himself as a disruptor of the status quo, advocating for "forgotten" Americans with a focus on economic nationalism and anti-elitism.
Richard Nixon's advice to Donald Trump would likely be to keep it brief. While preparing for his 1969 inaugural address, Nixon studied his predecessors’ speeches and concluded "only the short ones are remembered." At 16 minutes, Trump's 2017 speech was relatively short, though he is unlikely to match George Washington's 1793 second inaugural address – the shortest ever at just 135 words – or follow William Henry Harrison's 1841 example. Harrison’s speech lasted over two hours on a freezing day, leading to pneumonia and his death within a month.
Trump’s speechwriters favour short, snappy sentences and are unlikely to draw much inspiration from the inaugural address of John Adams, America’s second president. Adams’ nearly indecipherable speech includes a 727-word sentence, overloaded with semi-colons and supporting clauses, which would not survive the red pen of a Brainstorm editor.
In truth, inaugural speeches have varied greatly in message, merit and historical impact. Robert Lehrman is a former speechwriter for vice president Al Gore and speechwriting Dean at the American University "I have actually read every single inaugural", he says", "and it was a really boring experience. Most of the speeches are terrible. Even the ones we remember, I don't think there is any reporter working anywhere that couldn't write language as crisp or concrete as the majority of them."
The most quoted – and arguably the best – inaugural address is John F. Kennedy's 1961 speech, which conveyed youth and vigour. Kennedy was the first president born in the 20th century and his inauguration symbolised not just a change of the guard but a generational shift. "Let the word go forth," he said, "from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans – born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of an ancient heritage."
Historically, presidents have often sought to unify a divided nation, though few have succeeded. Outgoing president Joe Biden emphasised unity in his 2021 inaugural address, using the word eight times. However, a December 2024 Monmouth University poll showed that most Americans (67%) believe the country has become more divided during Biden’s term. While 71% of Republicans think it will unite under Trump, 85% of Democrats are pessimistic about further division.
Few leaders have captured their nation's spirit as Abraham Lincoln did in his two inaugural addresses, both delivered during profound crises. In 1861, Lincoln travelled to Washington for his first inauguration in disguise due to the threat to his safety as the country neared civil war. In his address, he appealed for unity to prevent conflict. "We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature."
Four years later, as Lincoln stood for his second inauguration in 1865, the war was nearing a bloody end. He could have delivered a speech filled with anger or promises of retribution against the Confederacy, but istead spoke with grace and wisdom about national reconciliation. "With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations."
Over 140 years later, another American politician inspired millions with words aimed at uniting a divided nation. After his historic 2008 victory, Barack Obama delivered a speech in Chicago’s Grant Park which blended hope, history, and a call to action.
He paid tribute to Ann Nixon Cooper, a 106-year-old Atlanta resident whose life spanned from the era of slavery to the election of the nation’s first Black president. "She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky, when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons – because she was a woman and because of the colour of her skin."
Reflecting on her journey and the progress of the nation, he evoked his campaign's signature phrase. "Tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America – the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't; and the people who pressed on with that American creed: 'Yes, we can.'"
When Obama took the oath of office in 2009, the weight of history was palpable. While his inaugural address may not have soared like Lincoln’s or Kennedy’s, it nonetheless marked a defining moment in American history. Nearly two million people gathered in Washington DC to witness the swearing-in of America’s first Black president, a testament to hope, progress and the enduring power of words to inspire change.
The tone of Trump’s inaugural speech next week will undoubtedly set the stage for his presidency. Past inaugural addresses have often served as a president’s mission statement. In 1933, as America grappled with the crushing weight of the Great Depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt sought to inspire a nation mired in self-doubt and economic despair. Addressing the public with unwavering confidence, he declared that "this great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself."
In 1981, Ronald Reagan delivered his inaugural address at a moment of profound economic stagnation and soaring inflation, compounded by the blow to American prestige from the Iran hostage crisis. Amid these challenges, Reagan famously stated: "In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem." This iconic statement captured the essence of Reagan's philosophy, advocating for a reduced federal government and championing the empowerment of individuals and the private sector as the key to national renewal.
Time will tell what remedies Trump may propose to drive economic and social renewal in America while addressing a politically fractured nation. Irish eyes will closely follow his inauguration speech for signals on his de-globalisation policies which could impact our economy – surely a priority discussion point when a new Taoiseach and the US president meet on St. Patrick’s Day 2025. One thing is certain: Trump’s second act is likely to be as controversial, varied and consequential as his first.
This article was originally published on RTÉ Brainstorm.
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of TU Dublin.