They say you can understand a lot about a person from the way they move and conduct themselves, so we asked a psychologist to take an in-depth look at US President Donald Trump’s body language, and analyse what it tells us about the man himself.
Psychologist Jo Hemmings breaks it down simply for us.
She explains: “He’s very expansive in his body language, he’s very confident in his body language, he’s very authoritative in his body language – at least he is in his own head.
“He doesn’t leave much room for other people to respond and he doesn’t pay any attention whether he recognises body language messages at all. So he is literally tunnel vision: This is me, this is what I am, and this is how you have to behave with me and accordingly.”
What about his hand gestures?
Jo says that when Donald displays his palms when addressing a crowd, he’s “reaching out and saying trust me, believe me”.
Donald has also been known to look as though he is holding a ball, which she says he is saying “you are safe in my hands”.
Jo believes that Donald would have been trained to use these gestures to get an audience on board with him.
Is it all an act with Donald?
Jo says: “Donald Trump doesn’t adapt his behaviour, I think that’s the fascinating thing about him. He’s very personality led.
“He has decided that he won’t adapt his behaviour, that everybody else has to adapt their way of thinking and their behaviour to him. So he would be considered hugely dominant in terms of adapted behaviour, ie he doesn’t do it but expects everybody else to.”
Yep, turns out that’s just the way he is.
