Cheryl Johnson, a retired social worker from the Pittsburgh area, has raised concerns about the increasing use of strong language, including profanity, in political discourse. She pointed out that past U.S. presidents generally avoided such language, and she believes the trend reflects a broader decline in respect and honor in public life. Over the past decade, former President Donald Trump has played a significant role in reshaping the boundaries of acceptable language in politics. Trump, who was often criticized for contributing to a more contentious public discourse, used profanity in public statements, including remarks about Israel and Iran in June 2025 and about Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in October 2025. He also used strong language in social media posts, particularly after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil trade. Michael Adams, a professor of English language at Indiana University Bloomington, noted that Trump's use of profanity serves multiple purposes, including projecting a more forceful diplomatic image and embracing unpredictability in communication. While Trump is not the first president to use strong language, previous leaders like Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon were known for using such language in private, with their remarks only becoming public after they left office. In contrast, George W. Bush expressed regret after a live microphone captured him calling a journalist a "major-league asshole" during his campaign. Analysts suggest that the use of profanity by politicians may reflect a desire to appear more authentic in a time of declining trust in political institutions. Joseph Phillips, an American politics professor at Trinity College Dublin, noted that politicians are increasingly using strong language to connect with voters on a more personal level. This trend is not exclusive to Republicans; Democrats such as U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey have also used profanity in their speeches and public statements. Benjamin Bergen, a professor of cognitive science at the University of California, San Diego, suggested that the current highly polarized political climate might lead to more profanity in high-profile political speeches. However, he also indicated that such language might eventually decline as new generations of politicians emerge. Phillips highlighted a key difference between U.S. and British or Irish politics, noting that the tendency for U.S. politicians to use strong language is not mirrored in their counterparts across the Atlantic, where political careers are more closely tied to the fortunes of their parties.