On Tuesday, June 24, Donald Trump became the first U.S. president to deliberately use the F-word on live television, declaring to reporters that Israel and Iran “have been fighting so long and so hard that they don’t know what the f*** they’re doing.”
His comments were in reaction to reports that Iran breached a recently announced ceasefire agreement mere hours after it was negotiated.
While Trump is the first to openly use the F-word during a live press conference, he is not the first American president to employ profanity — and he has a well-documented record of using provocative language.
Trump is among a lengthy list of presidents recorded using expletives, including his immediate predecessor.
In January 2022, President Joe Biden was recorded on a hot mic referring to Fox News reporter Peter Doocy as a “stupid son of a b****” after the journalist questioned whether inflation could pose a political challenge. Doocy later noted that Biden called to offer an apology.
Additionally, as vice president in 2010, Biden quietly remarked to President Obama during the Affordable Care Act signing ceremony: “This is a big f***ing deal.”
President Barack Obama himself was overheard calling Kanye West a “jacka” in 2009 after the rapper notoriously disrupted Taylor Swift at the MTV Video Music Awards. Obama also labeled Mitt Romney a “bulls*er” in a 2012 Rolling Stone interview.
“I probably curse more than I should,” Obama later admitted, “especially after I became president.”
Although such candid language may appear to be a contemporary phenomenon, presidential swearing dates back centuries. Historians note that even Abraham Lincoln was known to use colorful language in private settings.
A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.
Nnamdi Okoli