In the War on Terror that emerged from the 9/11 attacks and in the recent Russo-Ukraine Conflict, rhetoric from the executive has been used as a precursor to some form of intervention or aggression. In the case of Bush, Bin Laden and 9/11, rhetoric preceded military intervention on the part of the United States, and in the case of Biden, Putin and the invasion of Ukraine, rhetoric preceded economic sanctions and military aid on the part of the United States. Through a comparative textual analysis of 16 speeches from Bush, Bin Laden, Putin and Biden and interviews with a journalist and members of the diplomatic establishment, this thesis gauges alignment of executive speech rhetoric with defense actions. Findings indicate that rhetoric signals the potential path of a diplomatic action. It can be used to ease or exacerbate tensions and to initiate, escalate or deescalate aggression. This thesis synthesizes prevalent rhetorical elements into a new structure for drafting and understanding communications that start, perpetuate, or conclude wars.