Abstract

This study examines how institutional authority is constructed rhetorically in Donald Trump's speech on Greenland using Fairclough’s three-dimensional model to analyze discourse. The analysis examines textual attributes, rhetorical strategies, and broader social practices to demonstrate that power is actively exercised and not simply derived from a presidential position. Linguistically, authority is built through securitization vocabulary, strong style, pronouns alignment, and hierarchical agency patterns that position the United States as an indispensable protector. A discourse that promotes legitimacy through historical mandate, technological superiority, a regional framework, and distorting the legitimacy of alternative institutions. The results also show how personal voice merges with institutional representation, centralizing executive leadership while maintaining formal legitimacy. Study highlights how geopolitical discourse serves as a site for performing and expanding institutional power.