This study presents a Critical Discourse Analysis of polarization and political pronoun usage in Donald Trump’s 2024 victory speeches. The research was prompted by the former President’s unexpected landslide victory over a sitting government, raising questions about the rhetorical strategies that contributed to such success. The data for the analysis was sourced from publicly available speeches on the internet and was selected based on instances of polarization and the use of political pronouns—core concerns within the framework of Critical Discourse Analysis. The analysis draws on van Dijk’s Socio-Cognitive Approach (2006), which examines the relationship between discourse, cognition, and society. The findings indicate that minimal reference was made to the opposition, a strategic omission aimed at limiting their visibility and credibility. Furthermore, frequent use of political pronouns served to construct a public persona of Donald Trump as a caring, responsible, and relatable figure—portrayed simultaneously as a father, in-law, and citizen. These linguistic strategies appear to have played a significant role in shaping public perception and, arguably, contributed to the electoral outcome.
| Editor in Chief | |
| Prof. Isa Muhammad Maishanu | Dean, Faculty of Arts and Islamic Studies, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. |
| Editorial Board | |
| Dr. B. B. Usman | Deputy Dean, Faculty of Arts and Islamic Studies, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. |
| Pro. Nasiru Ahmad Sokoto | Head,Department of Arabic, UsmanuDanfodiyo University, Sokoto. |
| Dr. S.A. Aboki | Department of Islamic Studies, UsmanuDanfodiyo University,Sokoto |
| Prof. Abubakar A. Muhammad | Head, Department of Modern European Languages & Linguistics,UsmanuDanfodiyo University, Sokoto |
| Dr. Ibrahim Abdullahi S.S | Head, Department of Nigerian Languages, UsmanuDanfodiyo University, Sokoto |
| Dr. Umar Ahmad | Department of Modern European Languages & Linguistics, UsmanuDanfodiyo University, Sokoto (Secretary) |