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THREAD: Body Language Analysis No. 4369: Donald Trump's Border Wall Oval Office Address • • #DonaldTrump #BorderWall #OvalOffice #Deception #Anxiety #Frustration #DilatedPupils #Drugs #Nonverbal #EmotionalIntelligence #BodyLanguage #GovernmentShutdown
1/ On Tuesday 8 January 2018, President Trump addressed the nation from the Oval Office regarding his proposed Wall at the US-Mexico border. What follows is a partial nonverbal analysis of this event.
2/ As he began his Oval Office address, Donald Trump intertwined his fingers (0:06). For him, this hand/arm configuration is rare. He was probably following the advice of a speech coach. 
3/ Some adopt this pose because they believe it looks strong and/or confident (which was Trump's intent in this moment).
4/ However, depending on the other accompanying (simultaneous or nearly simultaneous) nonverbal signals - this hand configuration often transmits patronizing, condescending, and arrogant emotional tones - or it may signal frustration and/or anger.
5/ This particular hand-over-hand dynamic (0:12) projects feelings of clandestine plotting and a hidden agenda.
6/ Thus, it's no accident that Mr. Burns from The Simpsons also displays this same nonverbal behavior.
7/ Donald Trump uses this Mid-level Steeple far too often (as well as the Low Steeple when he's sitting in a chair with no desk or table in front of him). When used this frequently, this (conventional) steeple strongly projects arrogance & an authoritarian emotional-tone (0:23).
8/ Like all hyper-alpha nonverbal behaviors, anything more than a very little bit is far too much. Trump dramatically over-uses this body language.
9/ If he were well advised, the President would have been coached to display this signal for (at most) only about a half a second (if at all) - as he spoke (what he felt was) the most important word - of the most important sentence - of the entire address.
10/ Instead, this is very often the President's default hand position.
"While a pinch of garlic may be just right, even just a little bit more will ruin the recipe."
Piper Anne Twain
"While a pinch of garlic may be just right, even just a little bit more will ruin the recipe."
Piper Anne Twain
11/ Trump displays an amalgam of Disgust and Anger is during 1:19 as he says, "Vietnam" ("... more Americans will die from drugs this year than were killed in the entire Vietnam War ...").
12/ As he is saying, "... assaults, thirty thousand sex crimes, and four thousand violent ...", note the President is clasping his hands while he's rubbing his right thumb against his left thumb (1:34 - 1:40).
13/ This is another nonverbal dynamic rarely used by Trump - and indicates significantly elevated anxiety.
14/ At numerous times during this address, the President raised one eyebrow (his left) indicating his disbelief in his own words. A particularly telling example is shown here (4:12) as he says the word, "request" ("... at the request of Democrats, it will be a steel barrier...").
15/ During 6:16, just after he says, "Hopefully we can rise above partisan politics in order to support national security", Donald Trump displays a classic Loose Tongue Jut indicating the thought-emotions of:
• I've been bad
• I've been caught
• I've done a stupid thing
• I've been bad
• I've been caught
• I've done a stupid thing
16/ Many people noted (and Tweeted) about The President's Dilated Pupils during his Oval Office address (image above was a screenshot from 6:08).
17/ Everyone who has been monitoring Donald Trump's pupils would have observed these to be Dilated:
• Intermittently
• Equally (or very nearly so)
• Often Extremely (they have been dilated many times even larger than shown here)
• In a pattern repeated many times over years
• Intermittently
• Equally (or very nearly so)
• Often Extremely (they have been dilated many times even larger than shown here)
• In a pattern repeated many times over years
18/ Of course, with bright camera lights (or even routine, ambient, indoor lighting), we would expect anyone's pupils to be much smaller.
19/ Note how dilated Trump's pupils are in this image from 2017.
20/ At numerous times the President also exhibited deep nasal inhalations (e.g., 9:15).
21/ SUMMARY: Simple fact-checking of Tuesday's Oval Office address reveals numerous examples of deception. In addition, President Trump's nonverbal behavior indicates he was experiencing the thought-emotions of frustration, anger, disgust, and a high level of anxiety.
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22/ Moreover, the President's pupils were significantly dilated. From a medical standpoint, his long-term pattern of bilateral, intermittent pupillary dilation is profound.
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23/ This is not at all subtle or to be easily dismissed - on the contrary, it's glaring. Sirens Blaring. Red flashing lights.
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24/ Noel Casler (a comedian and former crew member from the Celebrity Apprentice) reports that Donald Trump had a habit of crushing Adderall and snorting it (). There are, of course, other drugs which can cause pupils to be dilated.
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25/ Body Language and Medical Analysis No. 4221: Why are Donald Trump's Pupils So Dilated? - Nonverbal and Emotional Intelligence (PHOTOS)
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26/ While there are rare diseases/conditions which may cause such an intermittent, extreme, pupillary dilation, and I have not examined the President directly, any qualified ophthalmologist will tell you that ...
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27/ ... a patient exemplifying these characteristics would be highly suspected of illicit drug abuse (I invite everyone to refute or confirm these medical findings - particularly those physicians with neuro-ophthalmology expertise).
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28/ This medical principle stands on its own, however, when coexisting with the President's prevalent and repeated deep inhalations, Occam's razor leads us - and the safety of the world necessitates us - to demand immediate action.
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29/ A full and public medical evaluation of the President must be undertaken.
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30/ Here's the Rub: when someone we like and/or trust - exhibits similar nonverbal behavior (e.g., in everyday scenarios) - if we fall victim to our confirmation bias - would most people then be able to spot the lie? His insincerity? Her manipulation?
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31/ The Answer: Most of the time, No - we would be blind to it. Objectivity matters. Critical thinking matters. Beware very of confirmation bias - when evaluating your own, your adversaries', or your friends' actions, proposals, and opinions.
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Typo alert: *Beware of confirmation bias
Typo alert: Tuesday 8 January 2019*
