Body Language Analysis No. 4715: Donald Trump's affirmation of changing DC with Force — Nonverbal and Emotional Intelligence

As with multiple other Republican presidential candidates, during this past weekend, Donald Trump made an appearance at the Iowa State Fair. What follows is a brief analysis of one short but crucial nonverbal behavior displayed by Donald Trump.

Unlike many of my body language analyses, this particular behavior example needs no body language expertise to suss it out — but it does require careful observation.

 

Beginning at the 1:17 mark in the above video, Donald Trump is seen in profile standing, backlit, adjacent to Rep. Matt Gaetz (R, CD-01, FL) as Gaetz is speaking. While the resolution is low, we can clearly see that this is, in fact, Donald Trump. 

Trump can be see nodding his head (a universal signal of affirmation) accompanying several of Gaetz’s statements — and one of these is of particular note:

Beginning at 1:33, Gaetz says, “… but we know that only through force can we make any change in a corrupt town like Washington D.C.”

Note Gaetz’s highest vocal emphasis on the words: “only” and “force”.

At the end of his declaration, as Gaetz says, “… Washington D.C.”, Trump can be seen nodding his head up and down — displaying the universal signal for agreement (during 1:39–1:40). 

Please watch this video, as the dynamic nature of this behavior is impossible to see on an image.

Keep in mind that this is an individual who’s awaiting trial for, in part, inciting a violent insurrection — an allegation Trump repeatedly denies — and yet here he nods in agreement while Gaetz openly advocates violence and commits a blatant act of stochastic terrorism.

SUMMARY: Donald Trump’s Body Language behavior while Matt Gaetz says, “…only through force can we make any change in a corrupt town like Washington D.C.” is a clear indication that *Trump believes* violence is a viable method to effect change in the United States.

All individuals, businesses, and organizations who want to (need to) dramatically improve their Body Language skills and nuance their understanding of Emotional Intelligence, please email me at: Jack@BodyLanguageSuccess.com

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This post and others accompanying it, serve as a reference source for the art and science of Body Language/Nonverbal Communication. The views and opinions expressed on this website are those of the author. In an effort to be both practical and academic, many examples from/of varied cultures, politicians, professional athletes, legal cases, public figures, etc., are cited in order to teach and illustrate both the interpretation of others’ body language as well as the projection of one’s own nonverbal skills in many different contexts.

 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3280: Jeb Bush, Iowa State Fair and the ability to Change the Minds' of Voters - Body Language (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Jeb Bush - like Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders - made an appearance at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday. In this video, Governor Bush (to no one's surprise) criticizes Mrs. Clinton regarding her use of a private server with official Government emails during her tenure as Secretary of State.

Later in the interview, beginning at 1:44, Kelly O'Donnell (reporter) asks, "I've watched you describe yourself as 'Not a grievance candidate' - and yet the mood of voters is anger ... "

Governor Bush: "Yeah."

O'Donnell: "Are you out of step with where voters are?"

Bush: "I - Look, I, I want to serve. I want to be a president that brings us together. I think over the long haul there will be a transformation, people will say, 'Who's going to sit behind the big desk to make the changes necessary for our country to move forward?' If it's about appealing to peoples' angst, I don't think I gonna [pause] win. If it's about with passion and commitment and high energy - saying that, 'We can rise up again - We can fix these things and America can be on the rise again' - I believe I'm going to be a pretty formidable candidate."

O'Donnell: "The mood is changeable for the public?"

Bush: "Absolutely, it is, it always - look [nose rub/nose scratch during 2:25 - 2:26] we're very, very early on ....."

While a nose rub or nose scratch does not always indicate deception - in this specific context, when Gov. Bush is asked a "yes, no or maybe type-question" - and in the midst of answering he touches his nose - then there is an extremely high likelihood that Jeb is telling a lie. Governor Bush has at the minimum, very significant trepidation as to whether "The mood is changeable for the public". Thus he most likely fears Donald Trump or even Bernie Sanders more than Hillary Clinton.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3279: Jeb Bush, Donald Trump and the Iowa State Fair

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2745: Vladimir Putin Deception regarding Crimea

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3101: Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jada Pickett Smith and "Focus" 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3181: Cristiano Ronaldo defends Japanese boy on TV - Body Language of Deception 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2919: Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama - Friends? - will they Hug it Out? 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3019: Bill Cosby, Rape Allegations, AP Interview 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3236: A Common Body Language Disparity Display - Donald Trump
 

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3279: Jeb Bush, Donald Trump and the Iowa State Fair - Body Language Tells (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Jeb Bush appears here in a brief video at the 2015 Iowa State Fair. Posted yesterday, he alludes to Donald Trump's entrance (and exit) on his helicopter.

Question: "Governor, getting elected one vote at a time, is that a challenge?"

Governor Bush answers, "Three hundred and thirty million people, it, it's a challenge for sure, but this is how you win in Iowa. Yeah. You don't wanna lob it - you don't wanna lob it in. You gotta be here. You can't helicopter in and leave [Contempt Cluster] - you gotta be all it. Subject yourself to peoples' questions and - this is - look I mean - New Hampshire's similar, Nevada's similar I'm learning - ya know, people really want to know where you stand. There's a lot of yearning for change and - you can't just ah, give it to 'em with a 30 second ad."

While much of the time, the emotion of contempt is subconsciously initiated. Yet in this example, just after the former Florida Governor says, "... You can't helicopter in and leave ...", he displays a contempt display which has a significant conscious component. In rapid succession (all during 0:15) we see the following cluster:

• Eyebrow Flash
• Prolonged Blink
• Eye Roll

Eyebrow Flash
(Fast & brief elevation of eyebrows)

As eyebrows continue to elevate, there is a prolonged blink

Eye Roll














All three of these nonverbals - the eyebrow flash, the extended blink and the eye roll occur in an overlapping and rapid succession manner (ergo, a body language example of a "cluster"). Most people would miss these signals in real-time. Here it shows us Governor Bush has some real contempt for Donald Trump - and at this particular time, this emotion is deliberately and consciously initiated.


Jeb continues, "... Nevada's similar I'm learning - ya know, people really want to know where you stand. There's a lot of yearning ..." - he rubs/scratches his lower sternum and left chest.

This over-the-lower-heart gesture is a general, yet highly reliable indicator of anxiety. In this context, it tells us that Governor Bush feels he's behind in his Nevada campaign and he's at a disadvantage for the caucus there on 23 February 2016.


See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3278: Chris Christie's Feeling Weak in the Knees - Body Language and The Republican Debate

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3218: Jeb Bush Formally Announces His Candidacy for President

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3056: Jeb Bush Interview - 14 Dec. 2014 - Body Language Tells 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3256: Katie Holmes on Jimmy Fallon's Tonight Show 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3273: Marco Rubio, The Republican Debate, Monotonous Body Language and Anxiety

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3210: Matteo Renzi, Christine Lagarde, Barack Obama and Up-Regulating Alpha Emotions 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2914: François Hollande, Anxiety and Dialing up his Alpha 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3184: Erin Andrews' Eye Roll upon and "Dancing with the Stars" semifinalist Noah Galloway proposing to his girlfriend Jamie Boyd live after he performing to "Time of My Life"

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Negotiation Body Language Secret # 1003: Obama's Dropped Jaw Smile

Here we see yet another common type of false smile, this time by then Presidential Candidate, Senator Obama - four years ago at the Iowa State Fair. Of course, people in the public eye feel the need to smile dramatically and often. This is a very human desire and most people would feel the need to do the same if they were one in the limelight. That being said, the smile displayed here by Mr. Obama is forced and not indicative of the emotion of Joy-Happiness. This variety of false smile, known as a "Dropped Jaw Smile" (Pease) or a False Surprise Smile (Ekman) is a relatively easy nonverbal for most to replicate and represents a very common type of insincere smile. As mentioned in a post yesterday (see: Secret # 1009: A Sure Sign of a False Smile), whenever the forehead is wrinkled - the smile is always feigned. In addition, candidate Obama's eyelids are opened wider than normal here (particularly on Barack's right), which is never seen with a sincere smile either - in fact, the eyelids should be partially closed - and in a very particular manner - during a smile born of sincerity (see: Secret # 353: Brad Pitt's Eyes - Sincere and Insincere Smiles).

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Negotiation Secret # 187: How NOT to Shake Hands

While Mitt Romney enjoys national front-runner status (or nearly so depending on the pole) in the race for the Republican nomination for the 2012 U.S. Presidency, here at the recent Iowa State Fair he defaults to a old-style political mistake. His primary error (but not the only one shown in this image), is his gripping of the left upper arm/shoulder of this potential voter. This is virtually always negatively received. It is an example of an excessive display of dominance and alpha behavior. In some settings it implies friendship-intimacy where none exists. Both are emotionally-inappropriate here and not in Mitt's best interest. Similar maneuvers are gripping the left elbow or the double-handed (sandwiched) handshake. While he certainly wants to seem "presidential", this is not the way to accomplish it. When attempting to build rapport, the "little things" add up quickly. While others may not be able to list the reasons they feel uncomfortable vs. comfortable, their subconscious will quickly integrate what is seen and felt - and will leave them with an accurate gist. What emotions are you projecting?

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