THREAD: Body Language Analysis No. 4361: Donald Trump "Jokes" about leaving office • • #Nonverbal #EmotionalIntelligence #DonaldTrump #JokesAboutLeavingOffice #Resigning? #BodyLanguage #BodyLanguageExpert #TruthInsideAJoke #RobertMueller #Confession
1/ On Thursday 15 November 2018, President Trump gave a speech at The White House conference on Supporting Veterans and Military Families. What follows is a partial nonverbal analysis of a crucial portion of this speech.
2/ After about ten minutes of listing claimed accomplishments of his administration, Donald Trump said (continuing at 11:05), "... So, in addition to everything else, as you see, I did thee [sic] promotion of military spouse hiring across the federal government..."
3/ (He then goes off script at 11:15) "... Fact is I've done a lot! I could s-, I could s- Good-bye everybody. Goodbye everybody. That's a lot! That IS a lot. That's more than anybody's ever even thought about - and I'm proud of it. And we're not finished yet...."
4/ "...That's why I figured I did so much I could leave now. (Then the President goes back on script).
5/ Just after he says, "... I could s-, I could s- ..." and as he's stepping away from the lectern, just as he starts to say "... Good-by everybody...", Donald Trump waves with his right hand/arm (during 11:19). 
6/ He then immediately displays a single palm-down sweep, wave-off after his reiteration, "... Goodbye everybody...".
This nonverbal dynamic is indicative of feigned dismissal - a signal of a passive-aggressive emotional tone (during 11:21).
This nonverbal dynamic is indicative of feigned dismissal - a signal of a passive-aggressive emotional tone (during 11:21).
7/ The President then immediately displays - what in nonverbal parlance is known as a Jaw Confessional (during 11:24). A jaw confessional is a fast and short-lived lateral thrusting of the jaw.
8/ (The jaw [mandible] may be moved toward either one's right or left. Trump has a bias to displace his jaw to HIS left).
9/ A jaw confessional indicates what is about to be said (and less commonly, what was just spoken) is a source of some embarrassment and/or shame - ergo, it's a type of confession - and thus, importantly, has an element of truth.
10/ He displays additional Jaw Confessional signal just before he says, "... That IS a lot..." (during 11:27 - 11:28)
11/ And another jaw confessional just after he says, "That's why I figured I did so much I could leave now ..." (11:37).
12/ Note also during 11:35 (as he says, "why" ["That's why I figured I did so much I could leave now"]), President Trump shrugs both shoulders.
13/ Shrugging (which may be performed with shoulders, hands, thumbs, eyebrows, forehead, knees, feet, etc.) indicates the thought-emotions of:
• I don't know
• I don't care
• What does it matter?
• What could I do?
• I don't know
• I don't care
• What does it matter?
• What could I do?
14/ The President is rationalizing out loud. This is a glimpse at the man behind the curtain (albeit a rather thin one). As this nonverbal signal is not able to be captured in a still image, please watch the video to see this dynamic.
15/ SUMMARY: When Donald Trump goes off script, he's very often confessing, projecting, and/or lying.
Moreover, careful observers will note there's an element of truth in every joke - and in this example, it's substantial.
continued ...
Moreover, careful observers will note there's an element of truth in every joke - and in this example, it's substantial.
continued ...
16/ Donald Trump's verbal, paralanguage, and nonverbal behavior during this portion of his speech on Thursday 15 November 2018, indicates that he is considering resigning the office of the Presidency of the United States.
END
END
