Body Language Experts Analyzed Trump And Zelenskyy's Latest Interaction, And They Spotted Some Very Telling Signs

The 2 leaders greeted each other, posed for photos successful beforehand of the White House and answered questions from reporters successful the Oval Office. As cameras captured the leaders’ interactions, the words they spoke weren’t the lone portion of the story. 

Body connection experts accidental Trump’s carnal gestures, postures and interaction revealed a analyzable powerfulness dynamic ― 1 that often enactment Zelenskyy connected the defensive.

Many of Trump’s gestures were a mode to asseverate power and dominance, experts say.

One of the much notable moments for assemblage connection experts was erstwhile Trump pumped his fist as Zelenskyy arrived astatine the White House.

“It starts retired with Trump giving his powerfulness fist,” said Traci Brown, an writer and assemblage connection expert. “He’s readying connected being successful afloat control. He’s precise cordial to Zelenskyy, complimenting his suit but sticking his hands mode excessively adjacent into Zelenskyy’s abstraction with his thenar astir nether his chin. This is simply a motion of control.”

The fist pump is simply a “symbolic punching motion,” according to Patti Wood, a assemblage connection and nonverbal connection adept and writer of SNAP: Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language, and Charisma.

“Subconsciously, what that means is helium feels similar he’s successful for a fight, and helium has to support himself,” she said. “It’s an illustration of what’s called a symbolic weapon. And due to the fact that it’s the archetypal happening helium does successful effect to this meeting, that makes it overmuch much powerful.”

Later successful the day, portion joined by Zelenskyy and different satellite leaders, Trump gestured toward a painting of himself pumping his fist pursuing his assassination effort successful 2024.

Beyond the fist pump, determination were different control-asserting gestures connected display. Brown pointed to the mode Trump pulled Zelenskyy toward him. 

“This is an unconscious amusement that Trump tin determination him around,” she said. “Zelenskyy sways but doesn’t determination his feet preferring to support his independence.”

Other experts said Trump’s interaction crossed into condescension.

“Trump is manhandling the president of a country. He’s got a clasp of him and is doing these truly minimizing actions with Zelenskyy,” said Denise M. Dudley, a scientist and writer of Making Relationships Last.

Noting that the Ukrainian president is physically smaller than Trump, she said she believes “a much socially blase person” successful this presumption would debar taking actions that stress the diminutive qualities of the idiosyncratic they’re talking to.

“But Trump is conscionable going for it,” Dudley added. “He’s putting his manus connected apical of his shoulder. He’s putting his limb astir him successful a precise patronizing way, arsenic if to say, ‘You’re not connected my level. I tin usher you successful similar you’re my day to the prom.’ He’s not treating him similar an equal.”

Wood likewise saw these gestures arsenic belittling. 

“The mode Trump brings his limb up and astir the shoulder, backmost and cervix of Zelenskyy and pulls him successful is benignant of similar a dada telling a kid ‘you amended behave,’” she said. 

The suit enactment sent mixed signals.

“Trump does interaction Zelenskyy erstwhile referring to the suit,” Brown said. “This is simply a mode to link and besides seems similar he’s showing Zelenskyy disconnected successful pridefulness but belittling him conscionable a interaction with his code erstwhile helium says, ‘I said the aforesaid thing.’  Considering that past clip Zelenskyy showed up successful much casual attire, Trump present has impervious that helium has control.”

Dudley likewise observed however Trump’s gestures reinforced the unequal footing.

“He comments connected his suit, and you spot Trump clasp his manus out, thenar up. It’s benignant of a ‘look astatine you,’” she explained. “I deliberation of it similar if I went to spot my dada and looked nice. He mightiness beryllium like, ‘Oh, honey, look astatine you.’ It’s the benignant of happening you don’t bash with different president ― ‘Look astatine you. Love the outfit.’”

Still, not each of Trump’s behaviour fell neatly into a controlling frame. Dudley pointed retired that the erstwhile president seemed to stock a uncommon infinitesimal of levity with Zelenskyy aft the Ukrainian president’s hilariously snarky response to Glenn’s comment. 

“I volition say, it looks similar Trump genuinely laughs,” Dudley said. “I deliberation helium really laughed astatine a remark astir the suit. Generally, Trump is not idiosyncratic who genuinely laughs ― he’s usually truthful singularly focused connected putting connected the Trump show. But here, with Zelenskyy, helium fto retired a existent laugh. I deliberation that’s interesting.”

Other gestures struck a much neutral oregon adjacent conciliatory tone, according to connection and assemblage connection adept Karen Donaldson.

“President Trump did the manus steeple ― successful fact, a debased steeple wherever his fingers are pointing down, which is simply a motion of self-assuredness, self-confidence and that he’s comfy successful this space,” she said. “The little the steeple signifies much thoughtfulness, the higher the steeple represents much authority.”

She besides believes his earlier fist pumping was much a awesome of solidarity than power and that the mode helium greeted him with his palms up showed a willingness to beryllium unfastened and honest.

Zelenskyy’s assemblage connection besides said a lot.

Zelenskyy’s assemblage language, meanwhile, revealed some absorption and composure successful the look of Trump’s carnal assertiveness.

“We witnesser President Zelenskyy placing his manus connected apical of the President Trump’s manus during the second portion of the handshake,” Donaldson said. “Is it a taste norm? No. When idiosyncratic places their manus connected apical of different is during a handshake it’s a subtle mode to exert dominance implicit the different person.”

Wood observed a akin consciousness of pushback, noting that Zelenskyy responded to Trump’s inclination to propulsion radical into him successful his handshakes. 

“So Zelenskyy took his near limb and manus and went into what’s called a top-down position, wherever he’s holding Trump’s manus down arsenic if to say, ‘No, I’m going to conflict with you. You’re not going to propulsion maine successful and deliberation you’ve won,’” Wood said. “He keeps holding it, and Trump continues to tug, pulling them some adjacent to his chest. You tin spot Zelenskyy pulled somewhat disconnected balance, but helium maintains that top-down grip. It’s a continued battle.”

While taking questions from the property successful the Oval Office, some leaders besides sat guardant successful their chairs, a posture Donaldson described arsenic a stance that “signals preparedness and a readiness to prosecute successful what’s to come.”

Even successful these tense dynamics, Zelenskyy projected a measurement of calm.

“President Zelenskyy has his hands clasped, with his fingers loosely interlaced,” Donaldson said. “In respect to the discourse of sitting down, his fingers are loosely interlaced, which signals much comfortableness than discomfort. However, we often interlace our ain fingers to consciousness much unafraid successful a concern ― it’s a signifier of self-soothing.”

Taken together, the exchanges showed conscionable however overmuch was communicated without words. Trump’s handshakes, fist pumps and touches broadcast assurance and dominance, often veering into condescension. But Zelenskyy’s tiny acts of absorption ― with dependable footing, controlled manus placement, and composed posture ― signaled that helium was consenting to basal his ground.

This nonfiction primitively appeared on HuffPost.