A linguistic analysis of threat tone as a strategy of pressure in president Trump's negotiations

Abstract

Threatening tone can be used as a strategic tool to apply pressure and sway results in political negotiations, where language is a powerful tool. With an emphasis on how threat serves as a purposeful rhetorical device, this study conducts a qualitative linguistic and pragmatic analysis of President Donald Trump's negotiation style. Four main themes emerge from the research, which is based on discourse analysis of a few chosen negotiation speeches and statements: explicit performative threats that assert authority and force action; conditional framing that balances accountability and coercion to prevent face-threatening acts; emotional appeals combined with hyperbolic intensification intended to heighten psychological pressure and evoke fear; and strategic ambiguity combined with audience-specific adaptation that maximizes rhetorical effectiveness across various interlocutors. The results show how these related language techniques work together to influence negotiation dynamics, maintaining power imbalances while regulating interpersonal interactions. This research adds to the general knowledge of political communication and negotiating strategies by clarifying the intricate function of threat tone as a multidimensional instrument in diplomatic situations with significant stakes.