The above video clip is from Trump's appearance in Clinton, Iowa on January 6th 2024 – three years to the day after his attempt at insurrection. What follows is a body language analysis of crucial tells Trump displayed during this segment.
Note that just after the video begins (0:01), we see a brief display of what is known as a Loose Tongue Jut – a nonverbal signal of:
• Deception • "I just said/about to say a stupid thing" • "I've been/about to be caught" • "I've been bad"
Be careful not to confuse a Loose Tongue Jut with a Tight Tongue Jut or a Wide Open Tongue Jut – as these indicate completely different thought-emotions.
Then Trump says (0:1 - 0:4), "Unlike every other candidate in this race, with me you know, ..."
As he says this Trump twists his torso several times. In this context, this twisting is indicative of anxiety associated with Deception.
As you rewatch this video segment, please recall the expressions: "Twisting yourself into a pretzel", "Twisting the Truth", "Twisted Lies", etc.
Note also, that whilst he's twisting his torso, Trump also displays a facial expression indicating an amalgam of both Contempt and Disgust.
Then Trump continues, "... in your heart, that I will always put America first – which I will, I think I've proven that...". Note that just after Trump says, "first", he shrugs (0:07) with both shoulders (more pronounced on his right [because that shoulder is lower due to his turn/twisted torso]).
Whenever Shoulder Shrugging should never be seen when a person is making a declarative statement ("...I will always put America first ..."), you know that they don't believe whatever they just said/are saying.
This is also a good example of the verbal language disagreeing with the nonverbal language – in such cases, it's the nonverbal message that speaks the truth.
Did you notice Trump's eye closure during his shoulder shrugging? This signals yet another signal of lying – momentary lack of eye contact during the lie.
A second later is a great example of a Statement Analysis tell – with Trump's use of "I think I've proven that" (rather than "I've proven that" or "I know I've proven that") a hedging statement which betrays his low confidence and deception.
SUMMARY: In this 9 second clip, we see Donald Trump display 4 nonverbal signals/supportive signals and one verbal (statement analysis) sign of Deception – as well as his display of Contempt and Disgust.
All professionals, individuals, and businesses/organizations who want to (need to) dramatically improve their Body Language skills and nuance their understanding of Emotional Intelligence please email me: Jack@BodyLanguageSuccess.com Group and individual sessions available.
In the example shown above, as well as in this second image, Jeffrey Epstein displayed a very specific sub-type (and highly telling) partially suppressed sincere smile.
It's profoundly crucial to point out that actions/words/etc. that evoke emotions which cause one person to smile, are not necessarily ethical. People w/ psychological pathology can derive joy-happiness from what most people would consider highly unethical thoughts/acts.
Note in each photo example, Epstein's forehead, although passively wrinkled, there was no underlying muscle contraction. This is consistent with a sincere smile.
Note also that each of Epstein's eyes (eyelids) are partially closed, which is also absolutely required during a sincere smile.
Additionally, another requirement of a true smile of joy-happiness, is that in each of his lower eyelids there is a concave-up furrow.
To the casual observer, Epstein's mouth appears to be displaying a typical mouth-smile – with each corner upturned. However careful examination reveals a critical nuance.
Notice the center portion of Epstein's lips are pursed slightly forward – while simultaneously the lateral aspects of each of his lips are quite thinned, to the point of not being visible.
This is a forward lip purse simultaneous with a sincere, but suppressed smile.
A forward lip purse is a highly-reliable signal of a clandestine plan and/or a significant but otherwise unexpressed disagreement.
SUMMARY: These examples of suppressed smiles with lip pursing are reminiscent of some expressions made by "The Joker" from "Batman" – and they should send major red flags to your psyche: Avoid at all costs!
All individuals, professionals, & businesses/organizations who want to (need to) dramatically improve their Body Language skills & nuance their understanding of Emotional Intelligence please email me: Jack@BodyLanguageSuccess.com Group and individual sessions available.
In the above image of Mike Johnson, taken on 23 Oct. 2023 (2 days prior to his election to US Speaker of the House) we see four key simultaneous body language signals:
• Looking indirectly with the eyes (without a full head turn or full torso turn)
• Elevated forehead contraction
• Elevated Upper eyelids
• Glasses adjustment
Multiple body language signals displayed simultaneously or nearly so are termed a 'cluster' and are the nonverbal equivalent of a sentence.
Note that Johnson's forehead elevation is not pronounced as it would normally be (especially in the central lower forehead and also in the entire width of the upper forehead) due to prior Botox injections.
Johnson's glasses adjustment may very well be initiated with a partial deliberate/conscious component (usually practiced and may be habitual) and in such cases is an affectation.
These four body language signals (a cluster) taken in toto indicate:
• Suspicion • Undisclosed disagreement • Clandestine plan
Whenever you see this amalgam of facial expressions directed toward you or your associates – protect your flank.
Touching one's forehead, temple, or peri-ocular region – to the forehead, temple, or peri-ocular area of another person is a reliable signal of high-affection.
This is Alina Habba in the courtroom today. Although we cannot see him here, her client Donald Trump, is seated immediately to her right. Beyond these basic facts, we don’t know who is speaking or what is being said in this moment.
However, we can discern Alina Habba’s thought-emotions being displayed here.
Note the extreme backward-tilting of Habba’s head-neck. Moreover, she’s tilted to her left-side — further distancing herself from the person at whom she’s looking.
The camera angle here makes it less obvious, yet we can still clearly see her nose is elevated (contracted upward).
In contrast, the same camera angle magnifies the flaring of Habba’s already quite-flared nostrils. The tissue above her upper lip and below her nose is tightened.
SUMMARY: Alina Habba’s body language, captured this morning in this courtroom moment, indicates her thought-emotions of strong:
• Arrogance • Condescension • Disgust
While displaying these emotions may temporarily give a person feelings of superiority and an evanescent false sense of ‘winning’ — with the exception of Donald Trump, there’s no one in this courtroom with whom this expression will build rapport.
On the contrary, it will further alienate the judge. In this moment, Habba is working against her client. This display is also self-destructive — not only by increasing Trump’s punishment, but also by diminishing her mental focus and moving her mind further from her emotional baseline.
All individuals, organizations, and businesses who want to (need to) nuance their understanding of Emotional Intelligence and dramatically improve their Body Language skills — please email me at: Jack@BodyLanguageSuccess.com
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.
In the context of the first-ever UAW Union simultaneous strike against all three major American companies, Mary Barra (General Motors CEO) was interviewed this past Monday on CNN. What follows is a partial Body Language and Behavior Analysis of crucial portions of this interview.
One of the most common body language questions I'm asked is, "What is the most common sign that someone is being insincere?" or its close variation — "What is the most common signal that people are trying to manipulate me?"
This is a subject of great importance. Pay close attention to the forehead. A constantly/near constantly elevated forehead is *thee* most common and reliable signal that a person is being insincere and/or being manipulative.
For the vast majority of this interview, you'll note that, across its entire width, Mary Barra's forehead is contracted and elevated.
An elevated forehead also elevates the eyebrows. It also often (but not always) elevates the upper eyelids — giving the eyes a wide-open configuration. When done too frequently or in the wrong context, this is a profound red flag.
Taken in isolation, an eyeslids-wide-open display is seen with emphasis, alarm, fear, severe anger/rage, and surprise .... (0:58)
... and if displayed *too frequently* — or out of context — an eyelids-wide-open display correlates strongly with deception and manipulation (with or without any accompanying forehead elevation).
pain, or in significant emotional pain — will display a prolonged contraction of their *central* forehead (not across the entire width)...
... but crucially, in order for their expressed-felt emotion to be one of sadness, grief, physical pain, or emotional pain — the rest of their face — especially their mouth, must also be displaying congruently sad or painful emotions.
If the central forehead is elevated and contracted and elevated, but their mouth is expressing even a scintilla of a smile, their thought-emotions indicate a completely different thought-emotion.
This is also true when the entire width of the forehead is contracted and elevated upward — in conjunction with a mouth smile, (4:54). Barra's wide-opened eyelids amplify this emotional tone.
This amalgam of expressions is a profound red flag that will cause distrust, and not surprisingly (depending on how long it is held) sometimes frightens people. Whenever you see smiling out of context — it should always alert your radar.
There's another behavior exhibited throughout much of this interview — Mary Barra is speaking with her mouth in an asymmetrical configuration. This behavior is quite prominent when Mary Barra defends her $29,000,000 salary.
Some people talk out of the side of their mouth constantly. It's ingrained 24/7/365 — a lifelong/near lifelong pattern (i.e., former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson).
Rex Tillerson's asymmetrical mouth speaking is his baseline behavior. But this is not the case with Mary Barra — she switches back and forth between speaking symmetrically — but then, for a length of time, speaking asymmetrically.
*Intermittent* asymmetrical mouth speaking (when not part of a long term constant behavior as mentioned with Rex Tillerson) is a strong signal of bravado, braggadocio, and deception.
Intriguingly, actors (even very skilled actors) often also speak out of the sides of their mouths' — while they're acting. Acting is a special form of deception — it's deception with consent. However, acting without consent is lying.
Mary Barra also exhibited an asymmetrical resting mouth while she was *not* speaking. Her particular configuration displayed by Barra in this moment is an amalgam of contempt and regret (1:20).
And this display shows an outright contempt for the UAW (2:18). Barra's partially closed eyelids, while not a requirement for contempt display, in this context it does act as a contempt amplifier).
As she says, "incredible" (0:49), Barra tilts her head-neck backward, central forehead elevated and contracted, closing her eyelids, and gestures with a bilateral palm-out display — another amalgam of behaviors which is highly manipulative.
Note that Barra's asymmetrical mouth is also present during this display.
Although it can certainly be a fault of poor style, anxiety, or verbosity — those who are being deceptive also tend to use more tautologies — i.e., here Barra says, "we're in an incredibly exciting time in this industry" immediately followed by the words "right now".
These verbal redundancies often indicate a person is trying (trying too hard) to convince you. When you hear tautologies, ask yourself, "Why?". This verbal behavior is congruent with her body language behavior (and her vocal qualities/tone of voice).
You'll note that Mary Barra's head-neck tilts backward quite a bit during this interview (while at other times her head-neck is held straight/vertical). This backward head/neck tilt signals arrogance and condescending emotional tones.
As Barra addresses her salary increase compared to the average GM worker's salary increase, looks down to her right, and stammers, ("I think, ah..."), blinks rapidly, with an elevated forehead elevated (3:47). Red flags flashing. Sirens blaring.
We can see a hard Swallow at 7:19 - 7:20 displayed as the interviewer asks about Barra's conversation with President Biden. Hard swallowing is a strong indicator of anxiety. Note that Barra never answered the question (the interviewer should have pressed her for an answer). Her avoidance in answering is profoundly telling.
Moreover, Mary Barra never even mentioned President Biden's name — or anyone else's name ("so I've been speaking to many members of congress and the administration").
Barra also looks down to her right as she responds (but doesn't answer this question). Our right lower quadrant is the direction to which we look correlating with thinking-feelings of shame, guilt, deception, and sadness (7:25).
SUMMARY: Mary Barra, General Motors CEO, displays multiple signals of insincerity, manipulation, and deception during this interview.
All individuals, organizations, and businesses who want to (need to) nuance their understanding of Emotional Intelligence and dramatically improve their Body Language skills — please email me at: Jack@BodyLanguageSuccess.com
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.
There are many variations of fake/feigned/social ‘smiles’. Vivek Ramaswamy frequently displays one of these in particularly telling.
During the above interview with Mehdi Hasan last week, Ramaswamy displayed this false and deceptive ‘smile’ multiple times. Note the above image, displaying an example captured during the 20:06 time maker in the following video:
Ramaswamy's bottom teeth are showing. When a sincere smile is being displayed, the lower teeth are almost always never visible. There are some exceptions however.
Bottom teeth may be visible during sincere smiles if:
• Crescendoing to or Decrescendoing from sincere laughter
• You're taller than the other person (physical downward angle)
• Elevated camera angle (looking downward)
• The person is flexing/tilting their head/neck forward
• They have dental or jaw abnormalities
Vivek Ramaswamy is not laughing, nor is this suppressed laughter. However, this assumption does fool a lot of people and it's the core reason why this manipulative behavior often works.
The camera angle is also level with his central face. Nor does Ramaswamy have any dental or jaw abnormalities.
Vivek Ramaswamy is also tilting his head/neck backward, not forward. Tilting one's head backward makes teeth even less visible — and this speaks to the extreme degree of the falseness of this expression.
Vivek Ramaswamy frequently tilts his head backward while listening or speaking. With the exception of a neck injury/problem or relatively rare ophthalmic abnormalities, this configuration indicates arrogance and condescending emotional tones.
Vivek Ramaswamy also juts his jaw forward — during his speech (when he's being particularly forceful in his opinion — which is often, and a sign of an adrenaline surge) — but also during these feigned smiles.
During sincere smiling (or sincere laughing) the jaw moves in the *opposite direction* — it retracts backward, rather than projecting forward. Ramaswamy's jaw configuration is completely incongruent with sincere smiling (or any feelings of joy-happiness).
SUMMARY: This feigned smile of Vivek Ramaswamy is one of his common default expressions. But he's faking it. This is not a sincere smile. When we see this type displayed frequently, it's strongly correlated with manipulative individuals.
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
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.
Donald Trump’s mugshot was just released from the authorities in the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office where he was arrested, arraigned, and booked today.
His facial expression is an amalgam of the following thought-emotions:
• Contempt • Anger • Predation
The former president also appears to have an inflammatory process involving the margins of his eyelids and some of the adjoining tissue — a form of blepharoconjunctivitis, most likely a mild infection.
To some people, this inflammation (specifically, the notable redness) could make it appear as if Trump had perhaps been crying or was sad — but this is not the case.
It should be noted that the appearance of Trump’s predation is potentiated by the downward looking camera — making Trump seem as if his eyebrows are more prominent and/or that his head is configured in a greater degree of downward tilt.
The asymmetric light source (directed from Trump’s left side) also amplifies the appearance of Trump’s contempt.
Thus, although Trump is absolutely thinking-feeling-projecting both Contempt and Predation — the photographic technique exaggerates the appearance of these particular thought-emotions.
SUMMARY: Donald Trump’s mugshot today indicates the thought-emotions of:
• Contempt • Anger • Predation
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
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.
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
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.
