The body language expert, speaking on behalf of Oddspedia, said: “President Trump’s hands might not move a lot, but they tell a big story during his White House update. Back during his first term, the President was widely mocked for his wild arm moves and hand gestures as he spoke.
“For his second term, he’s clearly taken some guidance on how to move in a more statesmanlike way, and he makes a point of keeping his hands still.
“But they’re not really, really still. There’s plenty of information in his hand positioning and slight moves to tell us exactly how Trump feels.”
Ms Honigman said during the entire press conference Trump’s “left hand is covering his right hand, pressing it down and stopping it from busting out any moves”.
She added: “But the right hand, while wrapped in his left hand, reveals Trump’s inner thoughts. The lower hand is curled up into a fist, which could suggest some frustration.
“His thumb is outside that fist, which is a sign of confidence, independence, and a strong sense of self. At times, we see his fist very subtly bang on the table in front of him.”
Ms Honigman said this was a type of “demanding” body language cue and that it showed the president wanted to be in the “driver’s seat”.
She noted: “Trump’s hands are held together in front of him during the entire press conference, from the very beginning to the very end.
“This is a type of protective body language. He uses his arms as shields across his body. It means that he’s keeping some information back. In fact, both his hands are facing downwards for the full session, which again is a mark of secrecy.
“Even without moving very much at all, we can clearly see that President Trump is confident, determined, frustrated… and keeping some secrets that he’s rather not yet reveal.”
