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DONALD TRUMP’S IDEOLOGY IN HIS POLITICAL SPEECHES: A CRITICAL

DISCOURSE ANALYSIS
Siti Heryani, Arry Purnama, Hartono

Fakultas Sastra Universitas Alghifari

ABSTRACT: This research showed Donald Trump’s ideology in his political speech.
The researcher used Van Dijk’s critical discourse analysis (macro structure, super
structure and micro structure), sociocognition analysis and context analysis. The
researcher used the data from famous media in America. Namely, (www.cnn.com and
www.nytimes.com). The result showed that Donald Trump had anti-muslim and anti-
immigrant ideology. The researcher found it after analyzed the sources that found
from various newspaper in America.Donald Trump’s ideology in his political speech
has an impact to the community. The researcher showed the impact of his ideology:
muslims, immigrant, non-immigrant and global.

Keywords: critical discourse analysis, rhetoric, ideology.

ABSTRAK: Penelitian ini menunjukan ideologi Donald Trump dalam pidato


politiknya. Peneliti menggunakan Analisis Wacana Kritis oleh Van Dijk, yaitu analisis
teks (struktur makro, struktur super dan struktur mikro), analisis sosio-kognisi dan
konteks analisis. Peneliti menggunakan data dari media terkenal di Amerika yaitu
(www.cnn.com, dan www.nytimes.com). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa
Donald Trump memiliki ideologi anti-Muslim dan anti-imigran. Para Peneliti
menemukannya setelah menganalisa sumber-sumber yang ditemukan dari berbagai
surat kabar di Amerika. Ideologi Donald Trump dalam pidato politiknya berdampak
pada masyarakat luas. Reseracher menunjukkan dampak ideologinya: Muslim,
imigran, non imigran dan global.

Kata kunci: Analisis Wacana Kritis, retorika, ideologi.

1.1.Background of Problem invented and used to obtain the


Politic is always relates to objective (Keyes, 2008: 9).
activities that makes influence actions Political strategy is crucial tools
and policies in government or society. for campaign and election. Political
One of the aim of politics is involves the strategy proposes a pathway to success
use of power to another by affecting when the society understands the
their behavior. In politics, people needs background of candidates and reasons
political strategy and the method to do for them to vote for. Basic way to do it
it is varies depend on the purpose. is use speech campaign because society
Political strategy deals with many will know personality of candidates by
perspective strategies where the basic sharing their thought. By using speech,
strategy is the way of the purpose society feels that the candidate stands
beside them and have the same
thought. This strategy can gain society Obama’s policy, immigrant, and many
sympathy. When they are able to obtain more things that can be categorized
sympathy, the succession in gaining into political discourse. Therefore, this
power soon come through. (Van Dijk, research will analyze trump’s speech
2008). that related to the political discourse in
The more rhetorical the more order to find his aims in doing it.
sympathy arose and they gaining Critical discourse analysis deals
power. Regarding the three elements of with studying and analyzing written or
the rhetoric, political speech not only spoken text to reveal the existence of
pay attention deeply on the language power, dominance and inequality. It
itself but also make it suitable in the examines how the existence
context and consider in the arising maintenance and reproduced in social,
power. Thus, it is appropriated in political and historical context.
analyzing the speech by using critical Furthermore, CDA is aimed to make
discourse analysis since Donald Trump clear connection between discourse,
has unique characteristic as politician social practices and social structure
and also the phenomena are current which is not clear for several people
American political event. (Fowler, 1991). CDA explores social
Donald Trump becomes popular context to embrace the socio political
among US citizen in 2016 election. conditions that shape discourse in
According to the polling that held by order to analyze how power structures
USA today, in February 23rd the result are constructed and analyzed. It means
for national amount Trump get 33,6% that it also can be uses for describes,
voters. This nominal is much bigger interprets, analyzes, and critiques
than Ted Cruz that get 20,4% voters. social life that is reflected in speech.
His charismatic and powerful message Using critical discourse analysis
in every rally had been the formula for Van Dijk’s approach in Donald
political success. Sometimes he is Trump’s speech, the researcher
wrong, but the matters that he uses attempted to elucidate an ideology of
always sound right. Furthermore, the speech itself but also from the
Becoming candidate of President make speaker, himself. Thus, language,
someone must have great speech in power and ideology can be seen from
every rally to attract as much as its use to the social problem which is
possible volunteers. This technique will going on at that time and to the social
smoothen their way to become elected. power which is trying to influence the
In speech, there are many interesting ideology of the community to become
things which become political closer to something that is desired by
strategies. Therefore, Trump with all of the speaker.
his controversy makes his speech
adorable to analyze. Although makes 1.2.Identification of Problem
many mistakes in his thought, in fact, 1. How is the ideology represented
he is the most popular President in Donald Trump’s political speech?
candidate today. He criticized many

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2. What is the impact of Donald texts and interactions. It starts rather
Trump’s speech on society? from social issues and problems,
1.3.Research Objectives problems which face people in their
1. To investigate an ideological social lives, issues which are taken up
colorations in Donald Trump’s within sociology, political science
political and/or cultural studies.
speech. Critical discourse analysis draws
2. To show the impact of Donald from work carried out in the area
Trump’s speech on Society. known as critical theory, which
1.4.Research Significant considers ‘the social, cultural, economic
Theoritically and political ways in which people are
This research can provide inequitably positioned’ (Pennycook
knowledge about CDA which the 1997: 23) as well as ‘how the production
readers who do not know yet. and reception of text is ideologically
Practically shaped by relations of power’
This research can be input to the (Pennycook 1997: 28). A critical
competent parties, with respect to perspective on discourse analysis, then,
increasing knowledge and the explores the connections between
results of this study can contribute language use and the social and
the understanding of discourse political context in which it occurs. It
analysis. does this in a way that deals critically
2. Literally Review with the norms and expectations of
A. Critical Discourse Analysis particular discourse communities,
Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) raises issues of social, economic and
is ‘a theory and method analyzing the political concern, yet aims to provide
way that individuals and institutions students with the tools they need to
use language’ (Richardson, 2007: 1; succeed.
emphasis in original). Critical discourse Critical research on discourse needs to
analysts focus on ‘relations between satisfy a number of requirements in
discourse, power, dominance and order to effectively realize its aims,
social inequality’ (Van Dijk, 1993: 249) such as:
and how discourse reproduces and 1. As is often the case for more
maintains these relations of dominance marginal research traditions,
and inequality’. CDA therefore CDA research has to be .
addresses broader social issues and 2. “better” than other research in
attends to external factors, including order to be accepted. It focuses
ideology, power, inequality, etc. and primarily on social problems
draws on social and philosophical and political issues, rather than
theory to analyze and interpret written on current paradigms and
and spoken texts. As Fairclough (2001: fashion.
26) puts it: 3. Empirically adequate critical
CDA analyses texts and analysis of social problem is
interactions, but it does not start from usually multidisciplinary.

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4. Rather than merely describe deliver the messages which will be
discourse structure, it tries to delivered to public or audience.
explain them in terms of Rhetoric has persuasive function.
properties of social interaction Rhetoric also appears into interaction
and especially social structure. form whether formal or informal
5. More specifically, CDA focuses interaction that creates an impression
on the ways discourse structure of how presenting himself in front of
enact, confirm, legitimate, audience. The elements of rhetoric are
reproduce or challenge relation graphics and metaphor.
of power and dominance in Graphics is form of writing,
society. whether capital letter, lowercase, big
Those five aims of CDA can be said that size or small size, italic, bold, underline,
it is not only to describe the structure of number, coloured or not. Those writing
discourse but also to uncover certain form is used to reveal which parts of the
meaning in a discursive event which text are highlighted or prioritized and
primarily about the social problem and which parts are marginalized. In
political issues in society. conversation form of discourses the
emphasized delivered by using
B. Rhetoric intonation from the speaker.
The term, rhetoric comes from The second element of rhetoric
“rhetor”, the Greek word for “speech” element is metaphor. It is sentence to
or “spoken”. Aristotle defines rhetoric support the main idea. In a discourse,
as the faculty of finding all the means of the author delivers not only main idea
persuasion on a subject. Also, Cicero by text, but also proverb, expression
refers to rhetoric as the art of and metaphor intended as ornament
persuasion; whilst according to Griffin from a discourse. Metaphor that the
(2001), Quintilian, the Roman author used has function as basis of
rhetorician, sees rhetoric as “the art of reasoning, justification for the opinion
speaking well”. In modern times, or particular idea to audience. The
rhetoricians like Buehler and author used common sense, expression,
Johannesen (1965) see rhetoric as the colloquialisms, proverbs, religious
portrait of a compelling thought, while advice, ancient words, or even Al-
a communications professor, Lloyd Qur’an verses. It is used to reinforce the
Bitzer, says “Rhetoric is a mode of author’s opinion.
altering reality, not by direct
application of energy to objects, but by C. Van Dijk’s Approach to CDA
the creation of discourse”. Moreover, This model is the one of many
George Kennedy (1980) defines rhetoric theories that used to analyze a
as the art, study and practice of the use discourse, the point of this theory
of language orally and written. connects three core dimentions of
Strategy in rhetoric level is style that discourse, unity in one analysis. The
is expressed when a person speaks or dimensions of discourse are: text
writes. How the speaker or author structure, social cognition, and social

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context. According to Van Dijk Summary provides the most
discourse has various parts of level, and important information of the text. It
each of these levels is interrelated. concluded the context of a text in the
a. Text Analysis form of sentences or smaller than
The text analysis was used to sentence. Summary was divided inti
examine the text components which two, which were headline and lead.
were formulated in macrostructure, Headline is the title of the text which
superstructure and microstructure. was paced in the top of text and printed
Macrostructure examined the theme of bold or bigger size font than the text,
text, superstructure dealt with the but smaller than headline.
construction of text elements, while
microstructure analysed the local B. Story
meaning of the text. These three News story consists of two points,
analyses are elborated as follow: which are situation and comments.
i. Macrostructure Analysis Situation was divided into main events
The macrostructure analysis which and background. Main events
deals with global meaning tries to seek described the basic information of the
the theme of the text, in macrostructure news. It covered all information about
analysis, theme and rheme analysis as event that was given in the text.
proposed by Halliday (2004) was Background is the context of the events
employed. Subagyo (2012) stated that and past background which was
the global meaning of text was history of the events.
formulated in the frame of text, for Second category of news story is
example, title, headlines, topic, comment, which was divided into
sentence, summary, abstract, or verbal comments and evaluation.
conclusion. Leaning on that notion, this Verbal comments functioned as the
present research used theme and rheme evidence of certain news also the
analysis to reveal the macrostructure of strategy to position journalists in
text in sentence level. It also helped objective side (Van Dijk, 1980)
researchers to find significance how conclusion made by journalists based
certain rheme was arranged with a on the news.
theme to give name and to represent iii. Microstructure
the theme itself (Mason in Baker, 2010). Microstructure of a discourse
ii. Superstructure structure can be observed by
This analysis examined how the analyzing the words, sentences,
elements of texts were constructed. It propositions, clauses, paraphrasing.
also examined how the elements of text Microstructure also contains four
built one unity of text. To examine the important aspects. Such as, syntax,
construction of text elements, the semantic, stylistics, and rethoric.
research used news schemata as 3. Methodology
proposed by Van Dijk (1998) stated that 3.1.Research Design
Van Dijk devide ino two, which are: This study is a descriptive-
A. Summary qualitative research, and it is

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presented the data with content using sign language in such courses
analysis method. Some of the experts was complex and might not have been
had their own point of view about this examined in the prior literature. A
type of research. Based on Creswell central phenomenon was the key
(2009:39) in qualitative research, he concept, idea, or process studied in
saw different major characteristics at qualitative research.
each stage of the research process: In qualitative research, the
A. Exploring a problem and developing literature review played a less
a detailed understanding of a central substantial role at the beginning of the
phenomenon. study than in quantitative research. In
B. Having the literature review qualitative research, although you
play a minor role but justify the might review the literature to justify
problem. the need to study the research
C. Stating the purpose and research problem, the literature did not
questions in a general and broad way provide major direction for the
so as to research questions. It was because
the participants‟ experiences. qualitative research relied more on the
D. Collecting data based on words from views of participants in the study and
a small number of individuals so that less on the direction identified in the
the literature by the researcher. Thus, to
participants‟ views are obtained. use the literature to specify the
E. Analyse the data for description and direction for the study was
themes using text analysis and inconsistent with the qualitative
interpreting the larger meaning of the approach of learning from
findings. and including the researcher participants.
subjective reflexivity and bias.
From the explanation above we 3.2.Source of Data
could conclude that qualitative On account of what became the
research was best suited to address a material to be analysed in this research
research problem in which researcher is Donald Trump’s speech
did not know the variables and transcription, and the news media
needed to explore. The literature about Donald Trump, the researcher
might give little information about the feels need to support data as
phenomenon of study, and you corroborating evidence that it is
needed to learn more from actually Donald Trump's speech. It is a
participants through exploration. For video, full transcript of Trump speech,
example, the literature might not and an article about Donald Trump
enough address the use of sign statement was taken from the internet
language in distance education 1. www.youtube.com,
courses. A qualitative research study 2. www.cnn.com
was needed to explore this 3. www.nytimes.com
phenomenon from the perspective of 4. www.washingtonpost.com
distance education students. Thus, 3.3.Technique of Collecting Data

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The data which is used in this continue that analysis the researcher
thesis comes from Donald Trump’s run steps as follows:
political speech. In the way of collecting a. Exposure the discourse elements
the data, researcher uses some step (macrostructure, superstructure and
which is mentioned and explained as microstructure) referring Van Dijk
follows: Critical discourse analysis theory.
1. Searching for the Video b. Applying Van Dijk CDA theory into
As the first step of collecting the data.
data, researcher uses video recorder c. Make report and conclusion of the
observation. It is looking for the video research.
of Donald Trump’s political speech 4. ANALYSIS
from the network, in this case is The Ideology Represented in
www.youtube.com. It shows that the Donald Trump’s Speech
event is truly happen in reality. It In this research, the researcher will
means that the utterances are truly said explain the results of this analysis.
by the speaker in this case is Donald Researcher uses three sample analyzes
Trump. from Donald Trump’s speech. From his
2. Downloading the Video speech’s it can be concluded that there
After the data have collected, some ideologies contained in Donald
researcher downloaded and will be Trump’s speech. That is:
used for the main data to be analyze. 4.1.Anti Muslim
3.4.Technique of Analizing Data The researcher found anti-
In analyzing the data, the researcher Muslim ideology in Donald Trump’s
uses some steps according to CDA by speech This is based on the result of an
Van Dijk’s theory which are described analysis of Donald Trump’s
in short, dense, and in sequence from presidential campaign. The result of
beginning to the end so it will be analysis is:
understood easily by the readers. These a. Thematic
steps are as follows: Thematic elements are a general
1. Listen the Donald Trump’s Political description of a text, it can also be
speech; referred to as the main idea, or the main
2. Search the transcript of speech; summary of a text. The topic shows the
3. Search the news of Donald Trump on dominant, central and most important
internet; concepts of the content of a news. The
4. Mark the sentences which containing theme belongs to the first level of text
discourse element (sentences by analysis it called macro structure. There
sentences); are the theme of Donald Trump’s
5. Classify it by Van Dijk Critical speech:
Discourse Analysis theory (word by “My announcement today marks the
word); beginning of anew approach to conflict
6. Write the data finding. between Israel and the Palestinians”.
After that, those specific The theme is based on the conflict
numbers of data is analyzed. To between Israel and Palestinians.

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“Therefore, I have determined that it is time In this element, semantic is the
to officially recognize Jerusalem as the micro structure, which is the part of the
Capital of Israel”. discourse that has the meaning or
Donald Trump was recognize purpose that you want to emphasize
Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel. In and can be categorized into setting,
this theme the speaker applied the detail, meaning and pre assumption.
positive-self presentation. The meaning that want to be
b. Schemata emphasized in this text is the Trump’s
The second level in Van Dijk’s statement about recognising Jerusalem
discourse analysis is a superstructure. as the capital city of Israel and move the
Schematic is a part of the United States embassy to Jerusalem.
superstructure level. Text of discourse 1. Setting
generally has a scheme or a preliminary Setting is a news section that can
and final path. The plot shows how affect the semantic (meaning) that want
parts of the text are arranged and sorted to show. Setting chosen determines
so as to create a unity of meaning. First, where the view of audience will be
the summary, it generally characterized taken. The setting in this speech is:
by two elements, namely the title and “while prvious presidents have made this a
lead. The scheme element is the most major campaign promise they failed to
important element. Titles and leads deliver”.
generally show the theme that the The setting in this speech is Donald
speaker or newsmaker wants to show. Trump want to show that previous
The Schemata in this speech are: president of America was made a
“yet for every 20 years, every previous failure by campaign promise.
American President has excercised the In the other paragraph, Trump’s try to
law’s waiver, refusing to move the United shows the others view that Jerusalem
States embassy to Jerusalem or to recognize was recognized since 70 years ago
Jerusalem as Capital City”. under government of President
In the second part of schemata is the Truman. In this text, the speaker
story, which describes the overall news applied negative-other presentation.
content. Story describes the situation or “it was 70 years ago that the United States
process the course of an event. of America under President Truman
“today i am delivering. I’ve judged this recognized the state of Israel”.
course of action to be in the best interests of 2. Detail
the United States of America and the Detail is an element of discourse that
pursuit of peace between Israel and relates to information displayed by a
Palestinians”. person. This detail element is a strategy
In this text, the speaker applied of how the speaker expresses his
positive-self presentation and he attitude in an implicit way. The details
represent this action is the best interests in this speech are:
of United States and pursuit between “I’ve judged this course of action to be in
Israel and Palestinians. the intersets of United States of America
c. Semantic and pursuit of between Israel and
Palestinians”.

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Besides than pursuit between Israel and “In 1995, congress adopted the Jeusalem
Palestinians, recignozing Jerusalem as Embassy act urging the federal government
the Capital City of Israel is the interests to relocate the American embassy to
of United States of America. And the Jerusalem and recognize that the city. And
other paragraph seems that: so importantly, is Israel’s Capital”.
“The United States would support a two- d. Syntax
state solution if agreed to by both sides”. 1. Sentence Form
Trump’s says United Stated would Sentence form is a syntactic part that
support Israel and Palestinians if deals with logical thinking, namely the
agreed by both sides (Israel and principle of clause. The sentence's form
Palestinians). In this part, the speaker is not just a technical matter of
applied positive-self presentation. grammatical truth, but it determines
3. Meaning the meaning shaped by the order of
Almost the same as the detail element, sentences. In an active sentence, one
it's just that the information describes becomes the subject of his or her
intentions explicitly and clearly and statement. whereas in a passive
uses prominent language that drops sentence a person becomes the object of
but corresponds to the truth. his statement.
“I am also directing the state department to In this speech, the sentence
move the American Embassy from Tel Aviv presented is in the clause form. It found
to Jerusalem”. on:
On the other paragraph, he says: “The United States would support a two
“There will, of course, be disagreement and state solution if agreed by woth sides”.
dissent regarding this announcement. We The clause above is a
are confident that ultimately, as we work presuppostion.
through these disagreements. We will arive 2. Pronoun
at a peace and a place far greater in Pronoun is a tool used by
understanding and coopration”. communicators to explain one's
Based on the sentence above we know position in a text. pronoun in this news
that Trump do this action without an is:
approval of both parties. But he “We cannot solve our problems by making
confident, this is a best way for the the same failed assumptions”.
peace of both parties. In this part, the In the sentence above, it
speaker applied positive-self explained that the word We is a
interpretation. pronoun for Trump and society of
4. Pre Assumption America.
Pre assumption is a statement e. Stylistic
used to support the meaning of a text. Stylistics is part of the micro
If the setting has a meaning to support structure, how the choice of words is
the opinion by giving the background, used in a discourse text. In the part of
but the presupposition is an attempt to stylistic there is a lexicon.
support the opinion by giving the 1. Lexicon
premise that is trusted. the part in this
speech is:

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This element indicates how a ideology use the text analysis of Van
person chooses a word for the various dijk. The researcher analyze the macro
possible words. A fact generally structure, super structure and micro
consists of various words that refer to structure in Donald Trump speech and
facts. The choice of words used is not the news media about her speech.
merely a coincidence, but ideologically 2. People certainly have different
shows how someone's meaning opinions about Donald Trump's new
towards facts or reality. In this speech, policy. Anti-Muslim and anti-
lexicon is found in: immigrant are often associated with
“It is time for the many who desire peace to trump statements. In this research,
expel the extremists from their midsts”. show the influences of Donald Trump's
Extremists is a person who holds statement on the society including:
extreme or fanatical political or muslim, immigrant, non immigrant
religious views, especially one who and global.
resorts to our advocates extreme action.
In this part he applied positive-self
interpetation.
f. Rhetoric
This element is a microstructure.
There is a graphic element that has a
part meaning to examine what is
emphasized or highlighted by someone
that can be observed from a text.
1. Graphic
Graphic in this text, can find:
“While previous presidents have made this
a major campaign promise, they failed to
deliver”.
In this paragraph, Trump
applied negative-self presentation.
Trump assume that the previous
presidents make the failure and his
action is right. Based on sentence
above, Donald Trump is a confident
person and easy to underestimate to
other people.

5. CONCLUSIONS

1. At the text analysis stage, the ideology


of Donald trump’s in his political
speech are anti muslim and anti
immigrant. The researcher find this

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