On Wednesday Time Magazine announced it had selected Donald Trump as their 2016 "Person of the Year".
While some people may find Trump's pose"artsy" - from a nonverbal point of view, the image on Time's cover is particularly unusual in several ways.
We don't look directly at people who we don't like, don't believe or don't trust - and this body language is exemplified here in the extreme. Trump's lower body is pointed in the opposite direction. His abdomen is rotated a bit - and his torso a little more - yet they are still pointed approximately 90 - 100 degrees away from the camera.
On this cover we are getting Trump's proverbial "Cold Shoulder". And although such a hand position (as Trump shows here) is natural and common when rotating in a chair - it still conveys a closed-off emotional tone.
Mr. Trump's face is configured in one of his common default expressions - that of a combined anger and incredulity.
It's also very intriguing that Trump's chair is quite obviously worn and damaged. Although it's not part of him or his clothing - here the chair very strongly acts an extension of the President-elect. This is a visual metaphor, a nonverbal analog and most certainly is not accidental.
Summary: This pose, image and chair are very poor choices on the part of President Elect Trump. Its nonverbal message is: "I don't like you, I disrespect you, you're an afterthought and I've turned my back on you."
See also:
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3778: Steve Harvey Recounts His Miss Universe Mistake
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3776: VP Elect Mike Pence Defends Trump's Claim of Voter Fraud
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3774: Luke Bryan Hits/Slaps a Fan For Flipping Him Off
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3763: Matt Smith, Claire Foy and Where NOT to be stung by a Wasp
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3745: Kris Bryant Smiles Throughout the Entire Last Play of Game Seven
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3736: Newt Gingrich and Megyn Kelly re: Donald Trump
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3687: Katy Perry Surprises Fan-Survivor of Orlando Nightclub Shooting on Ellen
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2331 Sheryl Sandberg on Time Cover - Magazine Brass Picked Completely Wrong Image - Her Body Language has the Opposite Message of the Article
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3152: Hillary Clinton First Campaign Ad - "Getting Started"
_____________________________________________________________________________________
