The image above (and the close-up cropped portion below) was taken as President Trump was exiting from The Oval Office on Friday 3 March 2017. It was widely reported/leaked that Donald Trump had only just finished arguing with some his top staff, including Steve Bannon and Reince Priebus (a video showing what appeared to be an argument had also been published). Purportedly the President had deemed that Jeff Sessions should not have recused himself (the day before) from any current or future investigations regarding Russia (or at least Sessions had done so far too easily/early).
It's important to note that President Trump's, now infamous Tweets - in which he accused President Obama of directing a wiretap investigation of him/his staff/Trump Tower were made early the next morning (4 March 2017).
It's important to note that President Trump's, now infamous Tweets - in which he accused President Obama of directing a wiretap investigation of him/his staff/Trump Tower were made early the next morning (4 March 2017).
One expression we all often make when we're trying to control our emotions is an "Inward Lip Roll" (ILR). As the name suggests, the lips are rolled inward between the teeth. Often (but not always), the lips can temporarily, completely disappear. These images show a partial ILR and most likely represent a moment a split second after - or a split second prior to a more fully expressed example.
The inward lip roll serves as a tool or psyche uses to suppress both the outward display of strong emotion - as well as its inward growth. Indeed, this nonverbal is the source of the centuries-old idiom, "Bite your lip" (e.g., If a person is biting their lip, they cannot speak mechanically - but also they will be less inclined to speak, for their temper will be coming under better control.).
An Inward lip roll is most commonly seen in the context of anger, yet it can also be seen to suppress other strong emotions, such as sadness and joy (e.g., laughing in the wrong social setting), pain, etc.
Conclusion: Donald Trump's expression as he is exiting The Oval Office on Friday 3 March, is highly congruent with the reports that an argument with his senior staff had allegedly just occurred.
See also:
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3879: Donald Trump, Wiretapping, Adam Schiff & Russia
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3877: Kellyanne Conway re: "Wiretapping" Investigation - Alpha Displays
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3875: Children Interrupt Dad During BBC News interview
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3865: Jeff Sessions and Al Franken - Senate Judiciary Committee during Sessions' Confirmation Hearing
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3819: Turkey's Parliament, Presidential Powers and Constitutional Amendments
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3767: Joseph Gordon-Levitt on playing Edward Snowden - but How Do Tom Hanks and Gemma Arterton feel?
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3696: Jimmy Kimmel's 2016 Emmys Opening Monologue - Sarah Paulson brought Marcia Clark
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3634: Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, the Democratic National Convention, Emails and Body Language
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3574: Selena Gomez's Body Language Reaction to Fans in Montreal
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