Earlier today at the World Economic Forum in Davos, an exchange occurred between President Trump and the Press regarding his order to fire Special Prosecutor, Robert Mueller in June of 2017. What follows is their dialog and a partial nonverbal analysis of the President.
JOURNALIST: Mr. President, did you order Mueller fired?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Ω Thank you everybody. Thank you.
JOURNALIST: Mr. President, did you seek to fire Mueller?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you. Fake news, folks. Fake News.
JOURNALIST: What's your message today?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Typical New York Times - fake stories.
JOURNALIST: Mr. Trump?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Message is peace and prosperity - that's what we have. We have a tremendous crowd - and - a crowd like they've never had before. Klaus actually told me. It's a crowd like they have never had before at Davos - including all of you people like they've never had before - so that's good. I assume they're here because of Klaus.
KLAUS SCHWAB: No [inaudible]
JOURNALIST: How - Do you think your message will be well-received?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: I think it's going to be very well received - it's a very positive message, ahhh - The United States is doing fantastically well. Better than we've done in - decades. The stock markets are incredible. Businesses are coming back into the United States. I think it's going to be great message that people are going to like hearing. 'Kay? Thank you.
JOURNALIST: Did you try and f, ah, fire - Robert Mueller?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you. Fake news.
During 0:03, just after the journalist says, "Mr. President, did you order Mueller fired?", the president displays two simultaneous nonverbal signals captured in the image above (notated by Ω ):
• Loose Tongue Jut: A loose tongue jut is indicative of the thought emotions of: "I've been bad", "I've done a stupid thing", and "I've been caught" (Navarro).
Take care to not confuse this with a "Tight Tongue Jut" - which has a completely different meaning.
• Tight Lip Display: Note Donald Trump's upper lip momentarily pulls tightly while enveloping his upper teeth. This is a signal of a hesitancy to disclose information as well as thoughts and feelings which are kept clandestine.
Please watch each of these at regular speed and then at 1/2 speed as the still images don't fully capture the dynamics of this nonverbal cluster display.
During 0:09, as Donald Trump says, "Thank you. Fake news, folks. Fake News" - the President displays another crucial nonverbal signal - that of classic disgust.
Moreover, the gesture of placing his hand, vertically, palm-out, up to his face - in this context is a hyperbolic/melodramatic, sarcastic, pseudo-secretive gesture. If he truly believed this news was false - then this is one illustrator he absolutely should NOT have used. In this setting, it affirms deception.
Summary: Based on Donald Trump's nonverbal, verbal, and paralanguage behavior in this exchange, he did indeed give the order to fire Robert Mueller in June of 2017.
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See also:
Body Language Analysis No. 4186: Donald Trump, Robert Mueller, and Disgust
Body Language Analysis No. 4184: Why Does Donald Trump Point So Often?
Body Language Analysis No. 4182: North, South Korea, and the Olympics
Body Language Analysis No. 4180: White House Press Briefing Re: President Trump's Physical - Dr. Ronny Jackson
Body Language Analysis No. 3251: (REPOSTING) Donald Trump's Response to the question, "Have you ever asked God for Forgiveness?"
Body Language Analysis No. 4138: Matt Lauer, Intimidation, and Aggression
Body Language Analysis No. 4107: Paul Manafort, Robert Mueller, Russian Oligarchs, and Donald Trump
Body Language Analysis No. 4056: Ed Sheeran and a Hesitancy to Disclose
Body Language Analysis No. 4037: Charlottesville Protester Quits Boston University after Death Threats
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