Fantasy Theme Criticism: This format creates an exploration of how public discourse specifically Trump's speech creates shared dramatic narratives that foster group identity and symbolic unity amongst his supporters. Trump furthers the following Fantasy themes which are seen guiding the narrative elements of his rhetoric:

Corrupt establishment vs the forgotten people Marty-Hero narrative “The golden age to come”

Instances which serve in the creation and emphasis of these narratives will be tagged as #fantasytheme

This line serves as a callback to the central fantasy themes developed throughout the speech—national decline reversed by heroic leadership and the dawn of a redemptive era. “The future is ours” reaffirms collective ownership of destiny, while “our golden age” echoes earlier prophetic language (“The golden age of America begins right now”), completing the fantasy arc. It provides a sense of emotional closure and symbolic victory, suggesting that the trials endured have culminated in collective triumph.

This line delivers a redemptive fantasy vision where America, under Trump’s leadership, becomes a transformative global force. The contrast between the chaotic-world narrative (“angry, violent, unpredictable”) and the promised future of “unity” signals a turning point. This is a classic fantasy-theme device- projecting an emotionally satisfying conclusion. “Our power” becomes symbolic of moral rightness, not just military strength.

This sections acts as a narrative, furthering fantasy themes of the golden age by invoking a sense of American pride and nostalgia- emblematic of his "Make America Great Again." The listing of cities and professions crafts an inclusive national geography, while the catalogue of accomplishments invokes a sense of pride rooted in sacrifice, struggle, and victory. His sense of rhythm and visually descriptive phrasing provides a sensory validation of his words. Trump’s strategy here is to embed the audience within a narrative of inherited greatness, where the trials of the past legitimize present authority and future ambition.

This passage and his MAGA slogan divulges Trump's strategy of rooting his rhetoric in a vague sense of nostalgia to evoke emotional and sentimental attitudes from his listeners,

"the efficiency of the slogan to mythologize the past and create an urgency to recapture lost glory, explaining that part of the slogan’s appeal is that “the specific details are lost within the intentionally vague and mystical sense of lost greatness communicated by the device of Remaking Shit” (29). From this analysis, he concludes that a critical and harsh look at the efficiencies and myths that empower the slogan is one step to delegitimizing them"

https://constell8cr.com/issue-6/the-rhetoric-of-fascism/

This passage constructs a mythic origin story, portraying Americans as heroic pioneers with unmatched courage, ingenuity, and moral righteousness. The sweeping historical arc—from taming wilderness to ending tyranny and launching into space—follows a fantasy-theme structure of destined greatness, uniting disparate achievements into a singular, triumphant national identity. Trump invites listeners into a shared heroic legacy, transforming national history into a symbolic narrative that justifies future greatness as a natural continuation of the past. It positions American exceptionalism not as a debated idea but as an emotionally resonant moral truth, reinforcing symbolic convergence through pride and historical grandeur.

This line extends the “golden age to come” fantasy by projecting an almost miraculous resurgence of American manufacturing. The phrase “nobody could have dreamt possible” evokes a mythic scale of renewal, casting future economic strength as not just achievable but unimaginable by prior standards. It positions Trump’s leadership as the catalyst for a national rebirth rooted in industrial pride, echoing past eras of American greatness.

Trump's grand promises have a very specific affect on the audience in that they are not specific or bolstered by any methodological defense rather, their evocative nature play on the listener's imagination and embeds the feeling of possibility within his or her mind.

"This kind of rhetoric recruits the audience to Trump’s camp, almost as if he’s pitching to them the return on investment they will receive if they fully invest in his plan for a better America. And Trump promises everything: he feeds the audience exactly what hey want to hear, regardless of its rationale or potential consequence." (Page 38)

Essentially, Trumpian claims are grand for grandure's sake, and the feeling they provide their audience is as good as tangible action.

https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1772&context=honors201019

This line invokes a sacred symbolism which parallels the Christian "trinity"- nation, Constitution, and God—to solidify a fantasy-theme rooted in civil religious mythology. Trump fuses political identity with divine allegiance, offering a vision where forgetting any part of this "American trinity" would be both sacrilege and betrayal. The repeated structure and emphatic final phrase (“Can’t do that”) create a performative ritual of collective remembering, reinforcing group identity. This isn’t policy—it's symbolic storytelling, anchoring the audience in a shared sense of moral duty and spiritual patriotism. Fantasy-theme criticism shows how this language draws supporters into a worldview where political loyalty is equivalent to spiritual faithfulness.

Ideologically speaking, his posturing here is a symbolic assertion of the nationalistic superiority of American values- that Country, Constitution, and God, all collectively favor America and tangibly ground its higher moral position. This can be attributed to a specification

In his Anatomia del Fascismo, Robert Paxton expands on the symbols chosen by nationalistic and populist rhetors:

“Fascisms seek out in each national culture those themes that are best capable of mobilizing a mass movement of regeneration, unification, and purity, directed against liberal individualism and constitutionalism and against Leftists class struggle. The themes that appeal to fascists in one cultural tradition may seem simply silly to another. The foggy Norse myths that stirred Norwegians or Germans sounded ridiculous in Italy, where Fascism appealed rather to a sun-drenched classical Romanita....Fascism was an affair of the gut more than the brain.” https://econsystemsthinking.medium.com/summary-anatomy-of-fascism-eed6d626ee8

Fascism being "an affair of the gut" illustrates that facts and policy are not of any value or worth to those who participate in nationalistic ideological rhetoric- feelings, emotions, and resonance are far more important qualifying factors.

Fantasy Theme: This passage acts as the explicit theisis to Trump's religiously infused martyr-hero narrative, cementing Trump as a spiritually chosen leader. The survival of an assassination attempt becomes a sacred sign—a divine endorsement of his mission. Trump taps into religious fantasy themes, where national destiny is tied to a providential figure tasked with restoring greatness. The rhetorical logic posited is that his survival equals divine approval therefore enforcing the conclusion that his mission is sacred. Trump transforms personal trauma into theological validation, collapsing spiritual and political authority into a single figure.

Neo Classical: The religious framing of Trump's rhetoric ensures his ethos and cements his authority by capitalizing on the pre-existing religious biases of his audience.

This line escalates Trump’s role within the martyr-hero fantasy, portraying his survival as not just political but as a divinely fated turning point in the American story. It frames Trump’s leadership as divinely preserved in the face of evil, reinforcing the us-vs-them binary central to the fantasy-theme structure.

Additionally, Trump capitalizes on the symbolism of messianic narratives and religious christian story devices to create a divine portrait of himself. Trump sells his fantasy theme using one that he knows is base already ascribes to.

Neo Classical: This line constructs ethos through personal martyrdom, exaggerating hardship to portray Trump as a uniquely persecuted and thus uniquely resilient leader. The hyperbolic comparison to “any president in 250 years” is not factually defended; rather, it functions rhetorically as invention, inviting admiration and emotional identification through perceived endurance. The claim activates a form of moral ethos: if he has survived more than any past president, then he has earned not just authority, but reverence. It also serves an enthymematic function—the audience supplies the injustices (impeachments, investigations, media) that confirm the claim.

Fantasy Theme: Trump inserts himself into the martyr-hero narrative central to his fantasy rhetoric. The phrase positions him as a figure who has endured extraordinary trials, not for personal gain, but as part of a larger epic struggle. This aligns with the fantasy theme of a leader chosen through adversity to redeem a fallen nation. By presenting his suffering as surpassing that of all past presidents, Trump establishes himself as a historical exception.

Fantasy Theme: This statement marks a pivotal turning point in Trump’s overarching fantasy narrative. By declaring the end of decline “from this moment,” he signals that the speech—and his inauguration—represents the exact break between national suffering and national rebirth. This aligns with Bormann’s fantasy-theme structure, where a collective drama reaches its moment of reversal, and a new symbolic order emerges. The phrase functions as a fantasy cue, embedding Trump’s leadership into the audience’s emotional timeline of decline and redemption. The simplicity and certainty of the declaration invites listeners to adopt a shared sense of victory, regardless of his policy positions.

Ideological Criticism: Additionally, this line reinforces a populist-nationalist myth: that America has been in a state of managed decline due to elite betrayal, and that Trump alone has the authority to reverse it. “America’s decline” is never defined in empirical terms—it’s a symbolic stand-in for a host of grievances (economic loss, immigration, cultural change) that are repackaged as a unified collapse. This line condenses historical complexity into a single oversimplified ideological position—making Trump's rise synonymous with national revival.

On the effects of Trump's stance as a rhetor in building this fantasy theme, one study notes,

"This kind of ruthless approach appeases their [his supporters'] potential desire for an aggressive, maybe even angry leader. In his previously mentioned article for The Atlantic, titled “The Real Roots of American Rage,” Charles Duhigg discusses the power of anger in public opinion. His theory is that people perceive angry leaders as effective ones. Trump puts his theory into practice in this speech. His use of sharp statements and inflected tone of voice create a powerful combination to portray his strength and anger at vague issues. His anger is either undirected or directed at everything that is not him or his followers. His angry othering validates his audience’s beliefs and allows them to ignore the frequent lack of policy detail in favor of his rhetorical style."

Often it seems that Trump's ability to capture the fantasy themes of "the forgotten people" and "martyr/hero" are integral to his affect on audiences where logical and political exposition is all but ignored.

https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1772&context=honors201019

Additionally, highlighting instances of failure and instigating distrust, Trump effectively furthers his fantasy themes of "the forgotten people" as well as his own position as a hero in the story of the people's struggle against their oppressor.

Neo Classical: Trump’s invention in this passage relies heavily on pathos- using charged and evocative imagery to elicit anger and feelings of disenfranchisement from the listener. The phrase “extracted power and wealth” positions the government as the source of economic frustrations while “pillars of our society lay broken” paints a bleak and vivid image, invoking symbolism to create an almost mythic sense of hopelessness.

This emotional appeal heightens the stakes of the moment and primes the audience for a savior narrative, effectively establishing Trump's credibility. Trump builds ethos by positioning himself as the only figure willing to expose these abuses- by naming the enemy he presents himself as morally courageous. In a classical sense, this passage aims to establish trust through shared outrage and moral alignment with the audience.

Fantasy Theme: By portraying a long-standing elite force that has "extracted" resources from the public, Trump casts the American people as innocent victims in a narrative of systemic betrayal. Creating a clear villian as well as a clear hero- himself. The metaphor of “pillars... broken and in disrepair” utilizes symbolism to insinuate a narrative of total institutional collapse to position Trump in a position to correct the "disrepair" he cites.

Nathan Crick compiles a collection of works regarding Facist and Nationalistic values in his, How to Spot a Fascist: A Review of The Rhetoric of Fascism. The sentiments here shed light on the context of Trump's rhetoric and his use of these fantasy cues-

in explicating his work, Carlee E Baker cites that-

The “trope of carnage” and the resultant evocation of the “trope of manly consciousness” play upon many of the same assumptions that “Make America Great Again” does, where Trump presents the current state of the U.S. in terms of catastrophe and disaster, calling upon fears of societal decline felt among the Alt-Right and legitimizing the threat of violence and intimidation. The “trope of betrayal” appears most clearly in Trump’s open anti-intellectualism and disdain for “the elites.” His utilization of the “trope of specious nomenclature” works as an exclusionary rhetorical tactic intended to mark the Other as definitionally excluded from the meaning of “American.” Hartnett explains that these two tropes involve a subtle but persistent degradation of Others that works to “‘[deliver] the poison of prejudice in small but increasing doses” (48). At the heart of the use of each of these tropes in public political rhetoric is an appeal to fear, strong enough to motivate threats of violence at the behest of the former President.

https://constell8cr.com/issue-6/the-rhetoric-of-fascism/

Trumps here, establishes himself as the primary facilitator of the "golden age" fantasy theme: The Great momentum”—is not defined by institutions or laws but is instead a symbolic, almost magical force generated by his return to power. The phrase “the world is now witnessing” adds a performative quality: the fantasy is not only emotionally real but publicly recognized, intensifying the audience’s sense of historical participation and America's "return to the spotlight"

Fantasy Theme: This line exemplifies Trump’s continued reliance on the “golden age to come” fantasy theme, a core symbolic device in his speech. By declaring America will be not only great, but “far more exceptional than ever before,” Trump paints a utopian future rooted in hyperbolic claims of surpassing historical precedent. This rhetorical exaggeration as well as the accessibility and absoluteness of his language (“greater, stronger, more exceptional”) function as fantasy cues, inviting the audience into an emotionally gratifying vision of the future while providing a shared emotional satisfaction, even in the absence of specific policy detail.

Neo-Classical: The hyperbolic nature of Trump's language as well as its dramatic construction allow for an appeal to his Audience's emotions.

Trump and in turn, his base, find themselves joyously awaiting a “golden era” in politics- in an advantageous position to execute their reformative agenda. At initial glance this statement is perhaps best attributed to Trump's persona as a businessman- his use of short marketable slogans incentivize his base by providing digestible and memorable policy positions. However this particular utterance is integral to Trump's rhetorical intention and effect in a multi-faceted way. As such, it plays a pivotal role in a variety of rhetorical applications:

Fantasy Theme Criticism: This line serves as uniting symbol for the fantasy in which Trump is trying to engage his base. The implication here is that what this golden age entails is mutually agreed upon by him and his supporters, they are responsible in its ushering just as much as Trump is. Starting with this statement acts as a tantalizing way to initiate his narrative, one which details the transition from national suffering to a triumphant renewal. The phrase “golden age” evokes a grand, almost mythic sense of prosperity and serves as one of the main fantasies which Trump's rhetoric is outlining for his audience.

This line also functions within the fantasy-theme which is pivotal to the function of Trump's speech- that of a fallen people redeemed by a heroic figure. Trump essentially sets up a David and Goliath parallel where his people are the underdogs oppressed by a large institution which has undermined their rights and freedoms. In this story, he casts himself as the savior who, by taking office is putting an end to this tyrrany and putting his foot down on behalf of his people.

The applause which follows is not merely approval—it is ritual affirmation of the shared fantasy. The audiences internalizes a rhetorical vision that unites them emotionally and ideologically.

Ideological Criticism: Framing his presidency as the beginning of a “golden age” reinforces Trump’s underlying nationalist ideology and capitalizes on populist themes. Trump asserts that under his leadership, America can reclaim a rightful, superior place in the world. Use of language like "golden age" constructs an ideological binary between a broken past and a utopian present, shaped entirely by Trump’s ascension. The use of “golden age” also taps into religious imagery, drawing from both nationalist and Christian overtones of promised lands and chosen leaders. On Populist Rhetorical strategies and their efficacy in the context of political speakers and their agenda, Lacatus and Meibauer explicate that:

Populists claim to promote the interest of a virtuous ‘people’ by curbing a dangerous ‘other’, especially corrupt elites, which constitutes a threat to the people's sovereignty. Populists challenge the dominant order, give voice to the collective will and promise a new order that resonates with the longings of the ‘people’ (Moffitt Reference Moffitt2015; Oliver and Rahn Reference Oliver and Rahn2016; Rooduijn Reference Rooduijn2014). Populists use a transgressive rhetorical style that allows them to portray themselves as ‘authentic’ outsiders, and that is often direct, emotional and indelicate"

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/government-and-opposition/article/crisis-rhetoric-and-rightwing-populist-incumbency-an-analysis-of-donald-trumps-tweets-and-press-briefings/928DC40735BEEB1F62AE04ECBB98530C