The faces of the two individuals in this image are deliberately blocked out — but they will be revealed toward the end of this analysis.
Please wait to identify them, as this will serve to drive home the details (and solidify your long-term memory) of their body language behavior on display here.
Note that the woman’s right hand (our left) is configured partially clenched. And although we cannot discern with complete certainty, there’s a high probability that her fingers are also wedged beneath her right upper thigh.
This particular nonverbal component screams with emotional discomfort and an effort to protect herself. It signals that her entire lower abdomen, her gluteal muscles, and her pelvic floor are tightened in response to her anxiety regarding his proximity, touch, and intentions.
She’s psychologically distancing herself from him. It’s obvious that he’s making sexual advancements — and the thought of sexual activity with him is causing her considerable anxiety and a desire to protect herself.
Don’t let the loose, hanging configuration of his right hand mislead you — with his right arm, shoulder, a substantial portion of his torso, and his head/neck behind her — this is a man who wants to control (and who’s accustomed to being in control).
He’s also right-hand dominant (note the trace view of the watch on his left wrist, giving us a 99% certainty he’s right-handed).
While in many scenarios, an arm around someone signals affection, in this context, based on the other body language signals, here it’s a sign of his perceived ownership of her.
Look at his left hand — he’s holding her left wrist. Particularly in the context of their other body language behaviors, here this wrist-holding is a particular red flag — a further signal of his dominance and control.
Her legs are crossed away from him. If she had affection toward him or if she were interested in sexual intimacy with him, her legs would be crossed in the opposite manner — with her right leg over her left leg — and they would both be pointing in his direction.
Moreover, in that alternative universe, her hips and torso would also be rotated toward him, rather rotated modestly away from her “date”.
Notice also, the placement of her left hand. She’s protecting against his touch and his sexual access.
Surprise! (or not) — it’s Donald Trump and Melania. This image is no doubt, at least two decades or more old, but it is dramatic. She wants nothing to do with him in this moment.
His face (and mouth) are fairly close to her head and her left ear. If we don’t like someone (or are angry at them, not attracted to them, fear them, etc.), we are emotionally uncomfortable with their head close to ours.
This very well could have been a noisy environment, but if a person with whom we’re ill-at-ease is speaking closely into our ear, it’s particularly anxiety-provoking.
Melania’s lower eyelids are in significant tension. Her head, neck, and eye, in this moment, are turned away from him.
While Melania’s face is not neutral, contrast the less dramatic expression on her face compared with tells displayed by the rest of her body.
While, with considerable effort, the effectiveness of suppressing one’s facial expressions may be successful in any given moment, the remainder of the body will tell the true story.
Of interest is the way Donald Trump is crossing his legs — he hasn’t crossed them in this manner in at least eight years. One knee directly over the other is rather physically uncomfortable for most people.
Donald Trump is able to maintain this atypical leg crossing only because of his backward lean in conjunction with his right turning and right-tilting of his torso.
SUMMARY: In this image of Donald and Melania Trump, she not only displayed zero affection toward him — but she was trying to physically protect herself from his advances.
With high probably, Melania was experiencing fear. Her hand beneath her upper thigh, in this context, is a profound tell.
Donald Trump is trying to gain access to areas of Melania that she doesn’t want him to touch. His holding of her wrist in this context is particularly indicative of his desire for control — and that he was (and still is) accustomed to physically controlling women.
All individuals, businesses, or organizations who want to (need to) dramatically improve their Body Language skills — and all professionals who want to nuance their understanding of Emotional Intelligence, please contact me via my email: 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.
