Here are my rough notes on Trump's body language, for a media interview. Forgive any spelling or grammatical errors.
Trump sits with his legs far apart in classic alpha male
seating position of power. Muir questioned Trump about his voter fraud numbers
of 3 to five million and Muir said, “..That would be the largest voter fraud in
history, “ Trump takes his downward prayer steeple and flings his fingers out
in symbolic weapon to strike out at Muir then interlocks them to hold his own hand
then goes back again into downward
prayer to gain internal control, as he battles the statement saying it was, “..
It was so misrepresented…that was supposed to be confidential meeting….I said
it and I said it strongly.”
As he argues with Muir Trump says, “I am going to
do an investigation…” as he holds up both hands palm open slightly downward in
a stop and suppress motion to Muir. Trump flings out his finger in symbolic
attack, he points his left finger to symbolically shoot Muir with his left hand
while holding his right hand more cupped as a shield and he interrupts Muir
several times.
When discussing the Pew report Muir says, “What you have
said about Fraud has been debunked. Trump says, “No it hasn’t.” “Take a look at
the Pew report” (as a source to support his claims of Fraud.
As he says, “Take a look at the Pew report. “ His voice
becomes loud and certain and his head goes forward. Then in the next moment when
Muir says he talked to Pew and Pew said his report does not support voter fraud
Trump says, “According to the Pew report… “then he pauses realizing he was just
told it does not support him and finishes the sentence “… then, He (Pure) is
groveling again” and then he denigrates the report and Pure as a groveling
reporter as he does this he holds his downward steeple to gain internal control
again, then clasps his hands together to center himself and gain strength.. So in one sentence
he quotes the report as support stops mid sentence and denigrates the writer of
the report and the report.
When Muir says in
follow up to Trump talking about voter fraud and says he wants to ask about
something bigger Trump put his both hands up in
stop push down motion and says, “There is nothing bigger,” “There is
nothing bigger…” and then goes onto to say, “…millions of people agree with
me.” Note here that his posture has gone down and forward and he again goes
into the resting posture of holding his own hand.
When Trump is asked about his visit to the CIA and the crowd
size and when he will let it roll off his back. Trump says that his speech was
a, “Home run” and that he got a standing ovation for a long period of time and
they never sat down for long period of time.” As he holds his arms close to his
chest and flings out both hands to fling Muir’s question away. Then Trump says,
“You and couples of other reporters tried to downplay that speech…” He flings
his fingers toward Muir again, symbolically flinging Muir’s statements away
then at time code ---he grimaces and as he has down before in the interview
holds up both hands with the fore fingers in symbolic pistols and the bottom fingers curled like hands on the
triggers and holds then pointed at Muir’s head. (This is a very proactive
image.)
Part of my whole victory is that the men and women who have
been forgotten, will never be forgotten again, part of that is when they try to
demean me unfairly “cause” we had a massive crowd of people, we had a crowd. “I
looked out at that sea of people, and as he says that he does something very interesting
he at time code ---- he holds his hands outward and down showing he feels he
controlled and was omnipotent over the crowd. Typically speakers hands go up to
honor a massive audience. They cup up and our to hold and embrace and even lift up the crowd. Speakers typically only hold their hands and bring them down to suppress the crowds noise. So for
him to be describing the big crowds and go into a crowd suppress motion it
interesting. He may be doing that to continue to suppress Muir’s line of questioning
but he is doing as he continues he hands go out, “WOW!” and he first holds his
hands out on the wow and then instead of going further out he pushes his hands
in to hold in the wow in a motion that is confusing, unless he doesn’t fully
believe the word wow he is saying.
Later in the interview when they are walking and he is asked
hearing about the nuclear codes Trump moves his hands and arms that have been
at his sides swinging very slightly in a very front pelvis in a
natural protective motion as he walks. When he is asked if hearing about
the codes and possible destruction keeps him up at night. He says, “NO…” and
then his arms come up and he holds them out expansively and confidently and
flings out his finger in power as he continues the thought, “…confident I will
do the right thing… the right job.”
Patti Wood, MA - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com.
