US Presidents Trump and Biden Drive Surge in Political Profanity, Study Shows

A study by Cardiff University analysing political language in the United States since 1919 found that 87 % of recorded profanity by presidents, vice presidents and presidential candidates occurred in the last decade. The research documented 692 instances of swearing, with Donald Trump and Joe Biden accounting for roughly 78 % of those utterances.

The investigators, including Dr. Joseph Phillips, noted that earlier presidents rarely used expletives, citing Woodrow Wilson as the first to break the norm. Recent examples include Trump’s remarks to Fox News that the United States would “beat the f—king s—t out of Iran,” as well as Senator Bernie Moreno’s profanity‑laden questioning of Dr. Anthony Fauci during a Senate hearing. Biden’s profanity was described as lower‑key, such as occasional “d—” references.

The authors suggest the rise in vulgar language may be intended to convey authenticity and confrontational posture in an era of declining political trust.