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Berättelser som rättfärdigar: En studie om strategiska narrativ som Trumpadministrationen kommunicerar om Venezuela på X och Truth Social i syfte att legitimera attacker mot venezuelanska båtar

Ekman, Amanda LU and Olsson, Alva LU (2026) UNDK02 20252
Department of Political Science
Abstract
On September 2, 2025, the United States launched a series of military strikes on boats that allegedly departed from Venezuela. Using narrative analysis, this study examines the strategic narratives that the Trump administration communicates about Venezuela, in relation to the American strikes, through its official communications on X and Truth Social. The study also examines the strategies used to legitimize the strikes. The thesis adopts a theory-consuming
approach and is based on previous research and theory. The study identifies strategic narratives about Venezuela, which include narratives that concern the attacked boats that allegedly departed from Venezuela and narratives that concern the political leadership in Venezuela. The... (More)
On September 2, 2025, the United States launched a series of military strikes on boats that allegedly departed from Venezuela. Using narrative analysis, this study examines the strategic narratives that the Trump administration communicates about Venezuela, in relation to the American strikes, through its official communications on X and Truth Social. The study also examines the strategies used to legitimize the strikes. The thesis adopts a theory-consuming
approach and is based on previous research and theory. The study identifies strategic narratives about Venezuela, which include narratives that concern the attacked boats that allegedly departed from Venezuela and narratives that concern the political leadership in Venezuela. The strategic narratives regarding the attacked boats consist of stories about the crew as narco-terrorists, the boats being controlled by Tren de Aragua, and that each boat
would have killed 25,000 Americans. The narratives regarding the political leadership in Venezuela consist of stories about the regime as illegitimate and as an exporter of criminals, prisoners and psychiatric patients to the United States. The study further shows how the Trump administration uses strategies to legitimize the strikes. The strategies consist of referring to a hypothetical future, evoking emotions, referring to experts or authorities, presenting decisions as rational and emphasizing how the attacks are beneficial to a larger group of people. (Less)
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author
Ekman, Amanda LU and Olsson, Alva LU
supervisor
organization
course
UNDK02 20252
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Strategiska Narrativ, Legitimeringsstrategier, Legitimitet, Venezuela
language
Swedish
id
9218389
date added to LUP
2026-02-20 11:03:31
date last changed
2026-02-20 11:03:31
@misc{9218389,
  abstract     = {{On September 2, 2025, the United States launched a series of military strikes on boats that allegedly departed from Venezuela. Using narrative analysis, this study examines the strategic narratives that the Trump administration communicates about Venezuela, in relation to the American strikes, through its official communications on X and Truth Social. The study also examines the strategies used to legitimize the strikes. The thesis adopts a theory-consuming
approach and is based on previous research and theory. The study identifies strategic narratives about Venezuela, which include narratives that concern the attacked boats that allegedly departed from Venezuela and narratives that concern the political leadership in Venezuela. The strategic narratives regarding the attacked boats consist of stories about the crew as narco-terrorists, the boats being controlled by Tren de Aragua, and that each boat
would have killed 25,000 Americans. The narratives regarding the political leadership in Venezuela consist of stories about the regime as illegitimate and as an exporter of criminals, prisoners and psychiatric patients to the United States. The study further shows how the Trump administration uses strategies to legitimize the strikes. The strategies consist of referring to a hypothetical future, evoking emotions, referring to experts or authorities, presenting decisions as rational and emphasizing how the attacks are beneficial to a larger group of people.}},
  author       = {{Ekman, Amanda and Olsson, Alva}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Berättelser som rättfärdigar: En studie om strategiska narrativ som Trumpadministrationen kommunicerar om Venezuela på X och Truth Social i syfte att legitimera attacker mot venezuelanska båtar}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}