POWER AND PERSUASION: A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF TRUMP AND KAMALA'S SPEECHES

Abstract

This research paper talks about the significance of minorities in American politics by talking about Donald Trump, who is the 47th president and Kamala Harris, who is the first woman of color to become a vice president. The paper applies the three-dimensional framework by Norman Fairclough to identify how Trump and Kamala produce persuasion and power relationship based on the enticing support of the population. Donald J. Trump, "Remarks to the United Nations General Assembly in New York City," September 23, 2025, and Vice President Kamala Harris, “Fight for the Future, DNC Winter Meeting”, 16 Dec 2025. The official text and video recording of the speech were used as the source of data gathering and examined with the help of qualitative descriptive research methodologies. The information also reveals that the arguments of Donald Trump are largely established on facts, figures, and strong assertions, which suggests that male politicians are rational. Kamala Harris, on the contrary, provides individual accounts and emotional examples, proving that women politicians are more sensitive and emotional. The study established that the two politicians resorted to persuasive techniques to attract their listeners.