On Wednesday 18 April, President Trump continued trying to publicly sway Rand Paul into voting for the confirmation of Mike Pompeo for Secretary of State. Rand Paul, the junior senator from Kentucky - is a Republican (although libertarian-minded) and is on-record, openly opposing Pompeo for this position.
What follows is a partial nonverbal analysis of the video above.
President Trump (beginning at 0:04): I think ah - I think Mike Pompeo is - extraordinary. He was number one at West Point. He was top at Harvard. Ah - he's a great gentleman. Ah, I think he'll go down as truly a great Secretary of State. I will say this about Rand Paul - he's never let me down. Rand Paul - is a very special guy, as far as I'm concerned - he's never let me down. And Ω I don't think he'll let us down again. So, let's see what happens. If you remember, he voted for healthcare - annnd he did us a big favor - it was somebody else that voted against it - that hurt us...
In this moment (0:22), acting Secretary of State - John J. Sullivan initiates this nose rub/eye rub display just after President Trump says, "... I will say this about Rand Paul ..."
By far, the most common reason we touch our faces' is anxiety. There's no doubt Acting Secretary Sullivan's face was itching - but the reason it was itching was (secondary to the release of a neurotransmitter known as 'Natriuretic Polypeptide b' [Nppb]) due to his anxiety regarding his anticipation of what the President was about to say regarding Rand Paul.
More specifically, when a person performs such a nose rub/nose scratch/eyelid rub in this context (listening to a person make a declarative statement in a meeting/conversation), there's a very high probability that they believe they're detecting deception (e.g., that John Sullivan does not believe Donald Trump).
This next image - from 0:23 - shows Mike Pence displaying a One-Sided Smile - while the opposite corner of his mouth is down-turned. Such an Asymmetric Smile projects a Duplicitous emotional tone.
In addition, the left side of Pence's mid-face is also projecting Contempt.
Throughout much of this video - and indeed most all of his public appearances, Vice President Pence is in this near-constant expression of his (such behavior is often referred to as a "Living Mask").
Notice at this same moment that Larry Kudlow is unable to hold still - simultaneously readjusting himself in his chair - lifting his butt off the chair (literally known as a "Butt Adjustment"). We've all done this at meetings during moments anxiety - which is exactly what the Director of the National Economic Council is experiencing. He believes the President just told a lie.
During 0:24, as Larry Kudlow flips the distal portion of his necktie in this example of a MAP surrogate (Manipulator, Adaptor, Pacifier) - he shows us another classic display of anxiety. More specifically, this telegraphs a need for - and an attempt at - Alpha Up-regulation. This Tie-Flipping dynamic is seen primarily in men who already have alpha personalities - but who find themselves in beta moments.
A useful metaphor here is to think of this as a signal of emotionally 'stepping up to the plate' - trying to summon one's courage during mini-moments of sudden anxiety.
During 0:26 - 0:32, Mr. Kudlow then displays a more common variation on this same theme - he's feeling the need for Dialing-up His Alpha Emotions. Here Kudlow shows an example of the False Tie Adjustment. Because this anatomically higher, involving the knot of the tie - it's a substitute for rubbing and/or grabbing the neck - and, correspondingly, represents an even higher level of Anxiety.
During 0:36 - 0:37, we see John Bolton adjusting his glasses. Why did the National Security Advisor feel the need to perform this maneuver at this moment? While it's also an anxiety display - this nonverbal signal is a surrogate for an eye rub. Mr. Bolton does not believe the President's (feigned) public optimism regarding Rand Paul voting for Mike Pompeo's confirmation.
Now go back a moment to 0:30, just before President Trump says, "... I don't think he'll let us down again ..." - he makes this classic facial expression of Sarcastic Regret/Sarcastic Doubt (notated above with the Ω symbol).
Summary: President Trump, John Sullivan, John Bolton, and Larry Kudlow all have strong doubts/disbelief that Mike Pompeo will receive Rand Paul's vote for confirmation as Secretary of State.
In this video, however, we can't make this same conclusion with respect to the Vice President - as Mike Pence is 'wearing' one of his near-constant 'Living Masks'.
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See also:
Body Language Analysis No. 4264: Criminal Profiling • Sketch of Man Who Allegedly Threatened Stormy Daniels (Stephanie Clifford) Over Her Affair with Donald Trump
Body Language Analysis No. 4262: Wendy Vitter, the U.S. District Court, and Brown v. Board of Education
Body Language Analysis No. 4260: James Comey on Good Morning America re: Trump, Russia, and the Steele Dossier
Body Language Analysis No. 4258: Sarah Huckabee Sanders' reaction to the question: "Has the President at Any Time thought about Stepping Down?"
Body Language Analysis No. 4242: Cambridge Analytica, Alexander Nix, and Deception (Part II)
Body Language Analysis No. 4193: Hope Hicks, Sexual Attraction, Armpits, and Elbows
Body Language Analysis No. 4181: Ann Curry, Matt Lauer, "Verbal Sexual" Harassment, and NBC
Body Language Analysis No. 4155: Luis Elizondo Interview - Former Military Intelligence Official Who Ran AATIP (The Pentagon's Secret UFO Unit)
Body Language Analysis No. 4026: Aubrey Plaza, Ingrid Goes West, and Emotional Intelligence
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