Cheryl Johnson, a retired social worker from the Pittsburgh area, has seen political changes since the days of John F Kennedy’s assassination and the civil rights movements of the 1960s. But her main issue with today’s politicians is simple: the swearing.
“All this cursing in politics, we never heard that before,” Johnson said. “Words are very powerful, and the past 45 presidents of this country have not used such vile language.
“Is that how teachers, corporate leaders, nurses, doctors, and dentists speak in their work environment? It’s not OK. It’s a decline in respect and honor, period.”
In recent years, Donald Trump has led the way in changing what people consider acceptable language in public life.
After already being criticized for bringing down public discourse during his first term-when he famously complained about immigrants coming from “shithole countries”-Trump hasn’t held back during his second term.
He has repeatedly used words that have rarely been heard from a U. S. president in public before.
A significant moment occurred in June 2025 when Trump angrily criticized Israel and Iran for continuing their conflict even after a ceasefire was expected following a 12-day war. “They don’t know what they fuck they’re doing,” he told reporters on the White House lawn.
To make it clear this wasn’t just a slip-up, Trump again embraced strong language in October 2025 while discussing Venezuela’s then-president Nicolas Maduro. “He’s offered everything,” Trump claimed. “You know why? Because he doesn’t want to fuck around with the United States.” (Months later, Maduro was captured by U. S. special forces and is now awaiting trial in New York.)
Trump’s use of profanity has also appeared prominently on social media as he applied pressure on Tehran after it closed the Strait of Hormuz following his decision to initiate U. S.-Israel military action against Iran that February. “Open the Fuckin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH,” he posted on Truth Social in April.
“President Trump doesn’t have a very strong sense of decorum,” said Michael Adams, an English professor at Indiana University Bloomington and author of In Praise of Profanity-a study on swearing’s role in society. “The swearing reflects different aspects; part of it is an emphatic diplomatic persona while another part stems from believing in his unpredictability and showing he doesn’t care.”
Speaking at a military base in Kentucky last Thanksgiving Vance faced backlash after saying soldiers who raised their hands when asked if they liked turkey were “full of shit”.
JD Vance spoke earlier this month at Kansas City where he received similar attention.
Pete Hegseth , the Defense Secretary , has also utilized crude terms criticizing previous military practices deemed overly woke stating before generals last September :“We’re done with that shit”.
Democrats too aren’t shying away from vulgar expressions either.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey recently told ICE agents regarding an incident involving police shooting saying “get the fuck out”.
Earlier this week Senator Tammy Duckworth asserted her frustration about Republicans saying she was tired fixing issues created by them stating bluntly,”Fuck that shit.”
Adams noted there exists ‘covert prestige’ associated with using coarse language.
Civility in politics
Trump isn’t alone among presidents who enjoy using bad language. Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon were both known for their colorful vocabulary-but only behind closed doors. Their foul language was revealed only when recordings became public after their presidencies ended. In Nixon’s case, swearing became an issue during Watergate when heavily redacted transcripts released included repeated instances of “expletive deleted”. President Lyndon Johnson meets Richard Nixon at the White House in July 1968. Both men had a taste for the profane. Photograph: National Archives/Getty Images Trump’s more casual attitude toward obscenities stands out compared to George W Bush’s embarrassed reaction when caught describing a New York Times journalist as a “major-league asshole” during a live mic incident while campaigning for president back in September 2000. Bush expressed regret over his comment as he ran on restoring civility to politics. Today’s politicians seem eager for voters to hear what would once have been considered indiscreet remarks according to analysts. While Trump may have opened floodgates, others-both Republican and Democrat-have followed suit. Joseph Phillips, an American politics professor at Trinity College Dublin explains that there’s been a shift toward seeking authenticity given declining trust towards politicians. “The incentive for politicians to use profanity [comes from] how people perceive political figures,” Phillips noted. “Trust levels among Americans have dropped significantly which impacts how they view politicians.” “Politicians feel compelled to counteract this trend towards appearing untrustworthy or unrelatable by resorting to simple tactics like using everyday language-which often includes cursing.” In line with this approach, U. S. Vice President JD Vance frequently uses “shit” during speeches or online posts targeting opponents or critics.Speaking at a military base in Kentucky last Thanksgiving Vance faced backlash after saying soldiers who raised their hands when asked if they liked turkey were “full of shit”.
JD Vance spoke earlier this month at Kansas City where he received similar attention.
Pete Hegseth , the Defense Secretary , has also utilized crude terms criticizing previous military practices deemed overly woke stating before generals last September :“We’re done with that shit”.
Democrats too aren’t shying away from vulgar expressions either.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey recently told ICE agents regarding an incident involving police shooting saying “get the fuck out”.
Earlier this week Senator Tammy Duckworth asserted her frustration about Republicans saying she was tired fixing issues created by them stating bluntly,”Fuck that shit.”
A rhetorical maneuver
While this trend could further erode respect towards politics overall candidates vying for office likely don’t mind so much. “An individual politician might prioritize winning elections over restoring prestige within their profession,” argued Phillips. “It wouldn’t be surprising if some politicians prioritized personal gain above maintaining broader institutional esteem.”Adams noted there exists ‘covert prestige’ associated with using coarse language.
“There exists covert prestige associated with swearing linked largely due its rebellious nature appealing greatly,” Adams explained.”People tend not just simply curse but wonder if those who do are relatable enough serving them well.”
“It mirrors prior campaigns where George W Bush/ Barack Obama were judged based upon whether they’d enjoy drinking beer together rather than fancy wines catering upper classes.”
Bergen added current times feature heightened political divisions causing shifts previously unimaginable-including profanities emerging even within State addresses including inaugural speeches possibly down road ahead through norms altering drastically over time.
“It mirrors prior campaigns where George W Bush/ Barack Obama were judged based upon whether they’d enjoy drinking beer together rather than fancy wines catering upper classes.”
Bergen added current times feature heightened political divisions causing shifts previously unimaginable-including profanities emerging even within State addresses including inaugural speeches possibly down road ahead through norms altering drastically over time.
“I can see no inherent reason why any special significance surrounds events such as State addresses regardless”, commented Bergen noting changing societal attitudes towards politically charged discussions remain ongoing trends.” However , future reactions might swing favorably reversing course against habitual habits exhibited amongst current generations observed today.”
Phillips observed striking differences between US culture involving foulness unlike counterparts UK/Ireland wherein traditional bonds remain stronger tying officials closer party mechanisms leaving little room diverging behaviors expanding into commonality seen across North America continents soon.
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Phillips observed striking differences between US culture involving foulness unlike counterparts UK/Ireland wherein traditional bonds remain stronger tying officials closer party mechanisms leaving little room diverging behaviors expanding into commonality seen across North America continents soon.
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