How Trump's war rhetoric differs from past presidents'

Consider This from NPR

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🗓️ 3 April 2026

⏱️ 9 minutes

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Summary

Some of the most memorable speeches in American history have been delivered in wartime, with presidents seeking to unify the country, explain their strategy and, often, make a moral case for war. But President Trump has always spoken differently than his predecessors, so what does that mean when there’s a war on?

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, it's got a quick word before the show. We are looking for your feedback on Consider This, what you like about the show, what we could try differently, what keeps you listening. Your input would really help us out, even if you're only an occasional listener or if you're a brand new listener, we still want to hear from you. So if you can, go to npr.org slash spring survey to complete a quick, anonymous survey.
0:23.2	The link is also in our episode notes. Thank you so much. We really appreciate it.
0:30.1	When you walk up the steps to the Lincoln Memorial, cross the colonnade, and turn to your right,
0:35.3	you'll see the text of Lincoln's second inaugural address.
0:38.7	It's a short speech, barely 700 words. It was delivered in the waning days of the civil war at a
0:44.6	moment when Union victory was close at hand. And rather than trumpeting success, Lincoln
0:50.2	wrestles with how the nation could have been drawn into the civil war in the first place.
0:54.9	He describes war as an unpredictable force, almost beyond the control of its participants.
1:00.4	One of them would make war rather than let the nation survive, he said, and the other would accept war
1:06.1	rather than let it perish, and the war came. Ultimately, Lincoln wonders whether the war was a sort of divine punishment for the sin of slavery.
1:16.0	Maybe God willed that it continue until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword.
1:26.0	A hundred and sixty-one years later, another president delivered another speech about another war.
1:31.3	Our armed forces have been extraordinary. There's never been anything like it militarily.
1:37.3	Everyone is talking about it.
1:39.3	More than a month into the war in Iran, President Trump finally spoke to the nation about it.
1:43.3	We are going to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks.
1:48.0	We're going to bring them back to the Stone Ages where they belong.
1:53.0	Consider this. Trump has always spoken differently than the presidents who came before him.
1:59.0	But what does that mean when there's a war going on?
2:06.4	From NPR, I'm Scott Detrow.
2:17.1	It's considered this from NPR.
2:19.6	American presidents have tended to choose their words carefully in times of war.
	...

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