Body Language Analysis No. 4277: Donald Trump's First Person Shooter/Terrorist's POV Display at the NRA Convention - Nonverbal and Emotional Intelligence (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

On Friday 4 May 2018, President Trump gave a speech at the NRA's national meeting in Dallas, Texas. What follows is a partial nonverbal analysis of a crucial portion of that speech. 

President Trump (continuing at 22:07), "... But they died in a restaurant and various other close-proximity places. They were brutally killed by a small group of terrorists - that had guns. They took their time - and gunned them down, one-by-one. Boom! Come over here. Boom! Come over here. Boom! If you were - in those rooms - one of those people - and the survivors - said, 'It just lasted forever'. But if one employee - or just one patron had a gun - or if one person in this room had been there with a gun - aimed at the opposite direction - the terrorists would have fled or been shot and it would have been a whole different story - I mean - ..."

In this passage, Trump was speaking about the Paris attacks on 13 November 2015 in which 137 people died (including 7 terrorists) and 413 were wounded (80-99 critically).

Note that each time he said, "Boom!", President Trump displayed a dynamic handgun illustrator (not to be confused with a pistol steeple).

22:25

22:27

22:29

On each of these occasions, Donald Trump was stepping into the point-of-view of the terrorists. He was reenacting a bit of the Paris event from the perspective of the killers. In stark contrast, when he posited the idea of one of the hostages being armed and aiming their weapon back at the terrorist - the President did NOT configure his hand in a similar fashion.

This was not the first time Donald Trump used a handgun illustrator. You'll recall that on 23 January 2016 in Sioux City, Iowa he said, "... My people are so smart. And you know what else they say about my people? - The polls. They say, 'I have the most loyal people'. Did you ever see that? Where I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn't lose any voters, Okay? It's like incredible!"

On that occasion, he pointed his handgun illustrator directly at the television camera (image immediately above).

Although there are exceptions (e.g., law enforcement, some military, actors, comedic scenarios) a handgun illustrator is an extremely rare nonverbal display for anyone in a leadership position to use - particularly high office holders.

Regardless of the culture or country, even the much more common index finger (forefinger) pointing is hyper-aggressive and highly offensive (which Trump also repeatedly displays).

Yet multiple simulated gun-firing gestures - from the point of view of a real ISIS/ISIL terrorist/event - reenacting killing which actually occurred - and particularly when contrasting these actions with a LACK of a similar gesture for his armed (good-guy) hostage theoretical person(s) - absolutely calls into question the President's psyche - and particularly how he views himself.

SUMMARY: This is a Rorschach-type moment - with his nonverbal behavior substituting for ink-blots. The President's nonverbal behavior in this video strongly suggests that he relates more to the minds' and actions' of the terrorist-killers than those of his would-be hostages-turned-heroes.

The multiple handgun illustrators use in this context is highly correlative with dramatically reduced or complete absence of empathy - as well as impulse control disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, and (on occasion) antisocial personality disorder.

Group Appearances and One-on-One

Online Courses Available 

702-239-8503

Jack@BodyLanguageSuccess.com

See also:

Body Language Analysis No. 4276: Waffle House Hero James Shaw Jr. Meets His NBA Idol Dwyane Wade

Body Language Analysis No. 4275: Rudy Giuliani's Interview on Fox News

Body Language Analysis No. 4273: Natalia Veselnitskaya and The Trump Tower Meeting - "I am an Informant"

Body Language Analysis No. 4271: Donald Trump's Hand Holding While Pulling of Emmanuel Macron

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. 4004: US Congressman Dana Rohrabacher asks NASA scientist about Civilizations on Mars

Body Language Analysis No. 3986: Anthony Kennedy, The Supreme Court, and Predicting Empathy

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3930: Emmanuel Macron, Hacking, and Anger

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3374: Paris Attack Suspect Named - Salah Abdeslam - Body Language

____________________________

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3501: Salah Abdeslam of Paris Attacks is Captured - Body Language Traits Shared by Terrorists (PHOTO)

Salah Abdeslam was captured alive today during an anti-terrorist raid in the Molenbeek region of Brussels, Belgium.

Abdeslam was an alleged key participant in the Paris Attacks of 13 November 2015 which killed 130 and wounded 368.

Two almost always over-looked characteristics of terrorists, mass shooters and perpetrators of other violent acts are the chronic displays of either contempt and/or disgust. This is profoundly important: those who plan and commit mass violent acts will have nonverbal facial characteristics of disgust and/or contempt on a CHRONIC basis.

As human beings, we all feel contempt and disgust on occasion - this is completely normal behavior. Yet those who display such a facial expressions on a long-term basis signal to the world a huge red flag.

In this image of Salah Abdeslam we see facial expressions signaling both disgust and contempt. It's very important to point out that while certainly only a small percentage of those individuals whom display either or both of these facial expressions over longer time periods will go on to commit terrorist acts - all of these individuals will have significant impulse control (anger management) problems.

An additional facial nonverbal signal seen in this image is a subtle loose forward lip purse. The loose forward lip purse is a signal of clandestine planning or clandestine disagreement. Those who display a loose forward lip purse will voice a mild (or often no) disagreement, yet their true thought-emotions are being held back for an end-run. Beware. They are telling you one thing but thinking/planning another. This nonverbal is never to be ignored in a personal relationship, professional scenario or personal-safety setting.


See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3500: Gal Gadot's last name used to be "Greenstein" - Body Language Tells

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3498: Donald Trump Mocks Chris Christie when criticizing John Kasich

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3482: Donald Trump Refuses to Disavow David Duke and the KKK

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3470: Taylor Swift's Speech at 2016 Grammys

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2231:  A Common Facial Expression of Mass Killers - Using Body Language as a Threat Assessment Tool

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2858: Hope Solo, Domestic Violence, Arrests and Wedding Rings

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3390: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice - Henry Cavill is portraying what emotions?

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3354: Rape Victim (13 year old girl) Demands to Make a Statement at the Sentencing of Perpetrator


_____________________________________________________________________________________

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3374: Paris Attack Suspect Named - Salah Abdeslam - Body Language (PHOTOS)

Earlier today French authorities named Salah Abdeslam (pictured here) as one of the suspects for the 13 November Paris Attacks. Unlike seven of his alleged accomplices, Abdeslam is alive and was last seen at the French-Belgian border Saturday morning. 

In this image, Abdeslam has nonverbal signals which are quite atypical for a photo taken in conjunction with public identification.

First he has a mild-moderate (3.0-3.5 out of 10.0) forward lip purse. The forward lip purse is indicative of clandestine disagreement and/or a clandestine plan. It also demonstrates a marked disparity between what is said (typically little or no disagreement) and what is felt-thought (dramatic disagreement). A person who makes a forward lip purse believes they are the relative alpha when compared with whom they're interacting. Moreover the forward lip purse also projects the belief that they believe they have a high chance of achieving their desired results.

There is also significant anger present in the moment this photo was captured - again an unusual emotion to be captured as part of an ID photograph. Take note of Abdeslam's eyelids. They are opened very slightly wider than baseline - however what is more prominent is the tension of his lower eyelids and mildly downward vectored eyebrows (more so on his inner, or medial eyebrows). Both of his nostrils are significantly flared and there is also a moderate amount of tension in the "mustache area".

When a forward lip purse and anger are seen simultaneously - there is a considerably increased likelihood for loss of temper. When this expression is seen chronically - impulse control disorder and antisocial personality disorder (sociopath personality) are virtually always present.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3373: Barack Obama Delivers a Statement on the attacks in Paris - Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3354: Rape Victim (13 year old girl) Demands to Make a Statement at the Sentencing of Perpetrator - Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2656: Threat Assessment during Robbery - Body Language of Perpetrator

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2231:  A Common Facial Expression of Mass Killers - Using Body Language as a Threat Assessment Tool 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3304: Jeb Bush on Stephen Colbert's Late Show Premier  

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3224: Jordan Spieth, the U.S. Open, and a Classic Fear Expression 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3298: Aylan Kurdi, a three year-old Syrian refugee drowns and the image of his body moves the World - a Body Language Empathy Self-Assessment 

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3373: Barack Obama Delivers a Statement on the attacks in Paris - Body Language (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Hand and arm nonverbal displays (what most people refer to as "gestures") when used with nuance are powerful nonverbal tools. In body language parlance, gestures fit into categories termed either as "Illustrators" or "MAPs" (Manipulators, Adaptors, Pacifiers). These nonverbal signs can build rapport or destroy it - they may project either alpha or beta characteristics - or they may reflect arrogance or more humble qualities. Many people use gestures in an incongruent manner relative to their verbal language and paralanguage (vocal qualities) - and in such disparity - will "leak" their true thought-feelings. In contrast, when all three communication channels (verbal, nonverbal, paralanguage) are aligned - sincerity is present and recognized.

Last night, when delivering his statement regarding the attacks in Paris, Barack Obama made almost no hand or arm gestures. Only an occasional crossing and uncrossing of his hands on the top of the lectern - as well as a gripping of its sides were displayed. Other than these milder hand and arm movements, no other gestures were used in this 4 minute speech. When speaking about such a somber and tragic event - particularly when it's still unfolding, lower positions and a relative lack of use of the hands projects a greater reverence and respect for those who had lost their lives in the attack.

If President Obama's hands had been elevated and using movements and configurations which, in almost any other setting would be "normal" or acceptable - would have been out of context here. Moreover had Mr. Obama displayed even moderate hand use in this situation, it would be both interpreted and signify an insensitive emotional tone with a veiled political agenda. The President's lower position and minimal hand usage is an analog of the genital guarding/fig leaf configuration.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3372: Ben Carson, Low Expressivity & Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2800: Richard Gere Plays a Homeless Man and a Caring Parisian Gives Him Food - Body Language of Sincerity and Empathy

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2409: David Cameron & François Hollande - Variations on the Hand Chop & Palm Orientation  

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3308: Hillary Clinton's Apology - Certainly Late, Yet Was It Sincere? 

Nonverbal Communication Quiz-Analysis No. 2902: How Sincere was Ray Rice's Apology?

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3337: Barack Obama regarding Vladimir Putin on 60 Minutes - Body Language Tells  

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3318: Barack Obama and Pope Francis 
 

_____________________________________________________________________________________