Public statements of U.S. and the Russian Federation presidents for the purpose of fixing time modes in them – past, present and future are investigated in the article. Lingvo-temporal analysis as the diagnosis of time ciphered in the text, gives new opportunities for research discourse. Based on the narrative analysis of texts, authors find specifics of representating specific modes in J. Bush, B. Obama, D. Thrump, V.V. Putin and D.A. Medvedev’s performances. The conclusion is drawn about existence of common positions in temporal content of inauguration speeches of the American and Russian political leaders, universal models of reflecting on the present, future and past. Specifics of the presentation of time are following: semantic associations, quotations, use of images of heroes and the broad ideological priorities. Features of the images of time presentation by leaders of the USA express interest in a mythologization of the past, the idea of dialectics of a providentsialism and man-made creation of the past, communication of the future with universal and global prospect, metaphoricalness, figurativeness, symbolical character and active use of the past-hints performing function of supporting semantic frameworks, background function of representating the present. In speeches of the Russian heads of state there are: a distance from the recent past (overcoming in the present of recent years problems), a positive image of the present, strengthening of democratization of the political rhetoric appealing to national tradition and «the ordinary person».