Tree Metaphor in the USA political discourse

The article presents the analysis of the use of dendro-metaphors in the political discourse of the USA. The objective of the research is to identify nationally and culturally conditioned metaphorical models of the political discourse of the USA, which are based on the tree image. The material is speeches and interviews of American political figures. The research is based on the methodology of conceptual analysis of metaphorical models, methods of contextual analysis. The paper identifies the following metaphorical models: the tree as a strong politician; leaves as political ideas, new political generations; the acorn, seeds, sapling as the beginning of development; tree growth as human life; the root as the cause, origin, past; the trunk as support and foundation; the bark as the visible part of political activity, thorns as a problem, the stump as an election campaign. The article examines dendro-metaphors used to describe the structure and hierarchy of knowledge, decisions and political states. The paper also identifies metaphors associated with certain politicians.