The Mueller Investigation and, more specifically, Bob Mueller's recent testimony has served to refocus public attention on specific events leading up to the 2016 US Presidential Election. One of these moments was a crucial portion of the third debate held on 19 October - twenty days prior to the election. What follows is a partial nonverbal analysis of that exchange.
DONALD TRUMP (continuing at 27:21): He [Putin] has no respect for her. He has no respect for our president. And I'll tell you what. We're in very serious trouble. Because we have a country with tremendous numbers of nuclear warheads - eighteen hundred by the way. Where they expanded and we didn't. Eighteen hundred nuclear warheads. And she is playing chicken. Look.
CHRIS WALLACE (over-talking): W-, w-, wait.
DONALD TRUMP: Putin - from everything I see has no respect for this - person.
HILLARY CLINTON: Well, that's because he'd rather have a puppet as president of the United States.
DONALD TRUMP (over-talking): No puppet. No Puppet.
HILLARY CLINTON: And it is pretty clear -
DONALD TRUMP (over-talking): You're the puppet.
HILLARY CLINTON: It's pretty clear - you won't admit -
DONALD TRUMP (over-talking): No, you're the puppet.
HILLARY CLINTON: ... that the Russians have engaged in cyberattacks against the United States of America. That you encouraged espionage against our people. That you are willing to spout the Putin line, sign up for his wish list, break up NATO, do whatever he wants to do. And that you continue to get help from him because he has a very clear favorite in this race. So, I, I think that this is such an unprecedented, ah, situation. We've never had a foreign government trying to interfere in our election. We have seventeen, seventeen intelligence agencies, civilian and military who have all concluded that these espionage attacks, these cyberattacks, come from the highest levels of the Kremlin. And they are designed to influence our election. I find that deeply disturbing.
During 27:51 - 27:52, as he says, "No puppet. No puppet." - candidate Trump displays a classic Rationalization Rapport Empathy Expression (abbreviated as R2E2).
It's important here to emphasize that the person who is displaying this dynamic facial and head movement - is not feeling Empathy or Rapport - but they are trying to engender these emotions in other people. It's manipulative. They're trying to get you to rationalize - and often while rationalizing themselves.
The Rationalization Rapport Empathy Expression strongly resembles disgust - but it's accompanied by a side-to-side ("No") head movement.
Verbal language accompanying the R2E2 is virtually always refuting statements, e.g., "You don't want that", "You shouldn't do that", "You know I didn't mean to say that", or, in this example, "No puppet. No puppet."
This is a classic example regarding the importance of correlating nonverbal behavior - along with the accompanying verbal language and paralanguage.
Another word is conspicuous in its absence - and it should jump out at you. Donald Trump did NOT use the word "I". If he had true conviction in his denial, he would have said, "I'm no puppet" or "I'm not a puppet." When a person says, "Sorry" - or "Love you", their words don't carry anywhere near the weight, intention, or the emotions as, when they say, "I'm sorry" and "I love you".
Trump left out the word "I" because he doesn't believe his own words. This is particularly true given that "I" is one of the most commonly spoken words across almost all languages. Trump is not taking ownership. His omission of the word "I" is amplified even further given Trump's narcissism. When a person with such a strong ego leaves off the first person singular pronoun - especially with such an important rebuttal - red flags are raised. We all would do well to see them.
All mentally-healthy human beings make this expression on occasion - but you should beware when you see the R2E2 used frequently or during particularly important moments. In such scenarios, this behavior is a screaming warning.
Donald Trump's nonverbal and paralanguage behavior indicates he's trying far too hard to convince us that he's not acting in concert with Vladimir Putin. "The Gentle doth protest too much, methinks." (apologies to Shakespeare).
The full expression of the R2E2 nonverbal cluster is impossible to capture with a still image. Please watch the video several times at regular speed, 1/2 speed, 1/4 speed - and then, once again at regular speed to fully appreciate this behavior in context. Repeat this several times a week, and you'll acquire with increasing skill, the ability to spot this nonverbal behavior in real-time, with everyday situations.
At multiple times during Secretary Clinton's response, Donald Trump nods his head up-and-down in a classic "Yes" affirmation. Trump nods five times in only 43 seconds, immediately following Clinton saying,
"... that the Russians have engaged in ..." (nodding yes during 27:59)
"... break up NATO ..." (nodding yes during 28:14 - 28:15)
"... do whatever he wants to do. And that you ..." (nodding yes during 28:17 - 28:18)
"... We have seventeen, seventeen intelligence agencies ..." (nodding yes during 28:37 - 28:38)
"... who have all concluded that ..." (nodding yes during 28:42)
In contrast, if candidate Trump had disagreed with Secretary Clinton, he should have been shaking his head side-to-side in a "No" gesture (illustrator) after each of his opponent's statements, rather than in a "Yes" up-and-down dynamic. Trump's multiple nodding agreements are very clear nonverbal demonstrations that his subconscious agrees with Clinton regarding his clandestine cooperation with Putin - as well as with Russia's cyberattacks.
You may have noted that Mr. Trump only took four drinks of water during this 90-minute debate. It's not a coincidence that one of these occurred during 28:03 - 28:05, just after his 'puppet denial', and immediately after Secretary Clinton said, "... that the Russians have engaged in cyberattacks against the United States of America. That you encouraged ...".
Anxiety acts quickly. It dries up one's mouth and sudden thirst is a powerful indicator of this thought-emotion. While anxiety alone does not imply deception, when taken in context with other verbal, paralanguage, and nonverbal indicators seen here - Trump's sudden dry mouth is highly suspicious.
Another strong anxiety tell is Trump's adjustment of his microphone. Donald Trump is very skilled at NOT touching his face when he's experiencing anxiety or while he's lying - which is highly unusual (although, of course, he occasionally does so). Most people - both the honest and the deceptive - touch their faces far more often than the President.
However, a surrogate behavior for facial touching is microphone adjustment - which Trump does fairly often. In the segment discussed here, he does so during 28:10 - 28:12, just after Hillary Clinton says, "... you are willing to spout the Putin line ..."
Another dramatic insight into Trump's thought-emotions is displayed just after Clinton says, "... And that you continue to get help from him ..." - Trump smiles (28:20). This display is particularly important to watch at regular speed, 1/4, 1/2, and again at full speed. The image immediately above shows him just as his smile is forming. Note that his left side begins first - with the right side of his mouth momentarily suppressing it.
A split second later (also during 28:20), Trump closes both eyes in a variation of a "Joker Smile" (referring to court jesters, frightening clowns, and, most notably, the Batman villain of the same name). None of the candidate's teeth are visible and the shape of his mouth opening is completely inconsistent with sincerity. Trump's mouth is vectored strongly to the sides (laterally) - rather than with a strong vertical component (as it would be if his smile were sincere). His bottom lip is curled momentarily outward. This deliberate and hyperbolic expression of insincere surprise combined with a feigned smile is - always duplicitous.
A second later (during 28:21), Trump's center forehead elevates simultaneously with his false mouth smile. While everyone uses this expression once in a while, those who use it often (as Trump does, and not coincidentally, Putin as well) have a very high correlation with Antisocial Personality Disorder (commonly termed, 'Sociopaths' and/or 'Psychopaths').
Notice also, that Trump blushes during this moment. Blushing while smiling (feigned smiling) during denial has an extremely high correlation with deception.
SUMMARY: Donald Trump's nonverbal, verbal, and paralanguage behavior during this segment of the third 2016 Presidential Debate indicates he knew Russia was in the midst of a cyberattack on the United States, that he welcomed it, and that Trump does, in fact, believe that he is subordinate to Vladimir Putin.
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See also:
Body Language Analysis No. 4391: Donald Trump, Buzz Aldrin, and Variations on the 'Side-Eye'
Body Language Analysis No. 4390: Mike Pence visits 'Detention Center' in McAllen, Texas
Body Language Analysis No. 4389: Jeffrey Epstein's Default Expression
Body Language Analysis No. 4388: Donald Trump regarding Drowned Father and Daughter in the Rio Grande
Body Language Analysis No. 4387: Donald Trump Welcomes Foreign Interference in US Elections
Body Language Analysis No. 4386: Donald Trump and Ivanka Trump in Churchill's War Room
Body Language Analysis No. 4362: Mohammed bin Salman regarding the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi
Body Language Analysis No. 4295: Elizabeth Holmes, Theranos, and Red Flags
Body Language Analysis No. 4286: Aaron Schlossberg's Racist Rant
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