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The Discourse on Terrorism of Donald Trump

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Reading Donald Trump

Part of the book series: The Evolving American Presidency ((EAP))

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Abstracts

In this chapter, Valentina Bartolucci provides an examination of Donald Trump’s discourse on the subject of terrorism. Bartolucci identifies and deconstructs the series of tropes and rhetorical devices that this discourse is built upon, such as representing “radical Islamic terrorism” as an existential and civilizational threat that is animated by incomprehensible evil. Through this analysis, Bartolucci illuminates how Donald Trump’s discourse on terrorism promotes the intensification of state violence and overtly repositions the USA as a country to be feared and not admired.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    It is worth pointing out that nowadays more than ever, talking about a “Western world” and a “Muslim world” is not only simplistic but also incorrect. It is enough to mention that 1.3 billion Muslims are currently living in 55 States and one-third of them live in “non Muslim” countries.

  2. 2.

    This rhetoric, predominant in the representation of terrorism under the Bush administration, originated in the Manichean frame vastly utilized during the Cold War.

  3. 3.

    Here, similarly to what happens with terrorism, other forms of radicalisms and extremisms are omitted: extremism is Islamic extremism and there is only one form of radicalism, Islamic radicalism.

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Correspondence to Valentina Bartolucci .

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Appendix

Appendix

58 – Inaugural Address, January 20, 2017

61 – Remarks at the Central Intelligence Agency in Langley, Virginia, January 21, 2017

64 – Memorandum on Withdrawal of the United States From the Trans-Pacific Partnership Negotiations and Agreement, January 23, 2017

71 – Executive Order 13767 – Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements, January 25, 2017

513 – Remarks at the Department of Homeland Security, January 25, 2017

514 – Remarks at the “Congress of Tomorrow” Republican Member Retreat in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, January 26, 2017

81 – Memorandum on the Plan to Defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, January 28, 2017

88 – Remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast, February 2, 2017

99 – Remarks at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, February 6, 2017

101 – Remarks at the Major Cities Chiefs Association Winter Meeting, February 8, 2017

110 – The President’s News Conference With Prime Minister Shrinzo Abe of Japan, February 10, 2017

143 – Remarks to the National Governors Association, February 27, 2017

150 – Address Before a Joint Session of the Congress, February 28, 2017

170 – Remarks at “Make America Great Again” Rally in Nashville, Tennessee, March 15, 2017

231 – The President’s News Conference With King Abdullah II of Jordan, April 5, 2017

238 – Remarks on United States Military Operations in Syria from Palm Beach, Florida, April 6, 2017

260 – The President’s News Conference With Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni of Italy, April 20, 2017

266 – Memorandum on Orderly Liquidation Authority, April 21, 2017

296 – Proclamation 9602 – Loyalty Day 2017, April 28, 2017

521 – Remarks at a “Make America Great Again” Rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, April 29, 2017

350 – Remarks at the Arab Islamic American Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 21, 2017

352 – Remarks With President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority in Bethlehem, Palestinian Territories, May 23, 2017

359 – Remarks at the Dedication Ceremony for the Berlin Wall Memorial and the 9/11 and Article 5 Memorial in Brussels, Belgium, May 25, 2017

363 – Statement on the Terrorist Attack in Minya Province, Egypt, May 26, 2017

364 – Remarks to United States Troops at Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy, May 27, 2017

386 – The President’s News Conference With President Klaus Iohannis of Romania, June 9, 2017

386 – The President’s News Conference With President Klaus Iohannis of Romania, June 9, 2017

453 – Remarks in Warsaw, Poland, July 6, 2017

502 – The President’s Weekly Address, July 28, 2017

682 – Remarks at a “Make America Great Again” Rally in Youngstown, Ohio, July 25

503 – Remarks to Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Officers in Brentwood, New York, July 28, 2017

580 – Address to the Nation on United States Strategy in Afghanistan and South Asia From Joint Base Myer–Henderson Hall, Virginia, August 21, 2017

582 – Remarks at the American Legion National Convention in Reno Nevada, August 23, 2017

643 – Remarks on the 70th Anniversary of the United States Air Force at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, September 15

658 – Remarks to the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, September 19

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Bartolucci, V. (2019). The Discourse on Terrorism of Donald Trump. In: Kowalski, J. (eds) Reading Donald Trump. The Evolving American Presidency. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93179-1_7

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