President Trump has flip-flopped regarding his stance on gun control in the last several days. However, to say that he, "Surprised everyone" during a meeting at the White House on Wednesday 28 February - would be a dramatic understatement. What follows is a nonverbal analysis of one key moment of that meeting.
DONALD TRUMP (continuing at 2:22): ... It doesn’t make sense that - I have to wait 'til I’m twenty-one to get a handgun, but I can get this - weapon at - eighteen. I dunno [up-talking]. So I was just curious as to what you did in your bill? You don't address it.
PAT TOOMEY: We didn’t address it, Mr. President, but I think we -
DONALD TRUMP: You know why? ‘Cause you’re afraid of the NRA, right?
After President Trump's retort to Senator Toomey, Trump smiled.
Trump's smile was a sincere smile (aka a Duchenne Smile). This particular emotional expression is a rare event for Donald Trump - truly quite unusual. All politicians' smile - yet they are uncommonly sincere - and with President Trump, sincere smiles are extremely unusual.
Note all the components of a sincere smile are present in the above image (from 2:36 in the video):
• Eyelids Partially Closed
• Dynamic, concave-up Furrow in each lower eyelid
• Relaxed forehead muscles
• Only upper teeth visible (a trace of his lower teeth can be seen due to the elevated camera angle)
• Primarily Upward-vectored cheek muscles and mouth
Summary: Donald Trump took sincere pleasure - experiencing a moment of rare true joy-happiness - in his act of calling-out Pat Toomey, a Republican Senator - on camera - saying that Toomey was "afraid of the NRA".
Group Appearances and One-on-One
Online Courses Available
702-239-8503
Jack@BodyLanguageSuccess.com
See also:
Body Language Analysis No. 4222: Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird, and Embarrassment Anxiety
Body Language Analysis No. 4220: President Trump's Reaction to Governor Jay Inslee ("We need a little less tweeting here and a little more listening")
Body Language Analysis No. 4219: Ivanka Trump's Reaction to Question regarding Donald Trump's Sexual Assault Accusers
Body Language Analysis No. 4217: Chadwick Boseman, Black Panther, Anxiety, and Alpha Up-Regulation
Body Language Analysis No. 4188: Donald Trump Gets Booed at Davos for Calling the Press "Fake"
Body Language Analysis No. 4147: Alabama Senator Richard Shelby regarding Roy Moore
Body Language Analysis No. 4126: Jeff Sessions' Joking regarding Kislyak/Russia
Body Language Analysis No. 4099: Lee Harvey Oswald, Jack Ruby, and Jim Leavelle
Body Language Analysis No. 4037: Charlottesville Protester Quits Boston University after Death Threats
_____________________________________________________________________________________
