A Critical Discourse Analysis of Oval Office Conversation: Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a Case Study

Abstract

This study attempts to explore the authority structure, rhetorical tactics, and ideology in the Oval Office meeting between Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. president Donald Trump on 25 July 2019 through Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). Examining the linguistic strategies used by political leaders to assert dominance, forge coalitions, and evade accountability enhances comprehension of the disputed dynamics that culminated in Trump's first impeachment. This study uses Fairclough's three-dimensional model (text, discourse practice, social practice) and Wodak's discourse-historical technique to investigate the ideological framing of corruption, reciprocity, and "favor" as mechanisms of political coercion. The results indicate Trump's use of indirect coercion, exemplified by the phrase "I would like you to do us a favor," juxtaposed with Zelenskyy's courteous pragmatics, therefore suggesting geopolitical reliance. The study underscores the importance of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) for revealing the role that the ambiguity of informal diplomatic communication plays in concealing the transactional needs, while maintaining the apparent diplomatic norms and features. The following article focuses on the Trump-Zelenskyy conversation during the 2025 Oval Office meeting, but also incorporates conversations from other Oval Office meetings that are relevant. The research focuses on Fairclough's CDA model and there is the possibility of other discourse frameworks, such as Van Dijk's socio-cognitive approach and Wodak's discourse-historical approach, offering other perspectives. Furthermore, this study focuses on the linguistic and ideological aspects of the discourse which are not the ethical and legal consequences.

This study fills a significant gap as it adopts the Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) approach to examine the Trump secret diplomatic communication, thereby shedding light on the power and ideology dynamics of covert political communication. This helps to understand the dynamics of language, authority and international affairs during the Trump administration.