Thread by @DrGJackBrown

1/ THREAD: Body Language and Behavior Analysis No. 4660: Trump Golf Course Meeting in Sterling, Virginia on 12 September 2022
#BodyLanguage #BehaviorAnalysis #EmotionalIntelligence #DonaldTrump #GolfCourse

2/ The above picture was captured earlier today at Trump's golf course in Sterling, Virginia — near Washington, D.C.

3/ In this image, there are 9 men, including Donald Trump and Eric Trump. Four of them have their hands-on-their-hips, in a Fingers-Forward, Arms Akimbo stance.

4/ Fingers-Forward Arms Akimbo can have several different meanings depending on simultaneous facial expression (which we have limited or no view here) along with the nonverbal signals of the rest of the body.

5/ The facial expression and rest of the body gives the Hands Akimbo stance (as well as any other nonverbal signals) context — much like a synonym/homonym in a sentence.

6/ For example, the word "hot" can mean an important-current news item or a person who is thought to be attractive or a spicy food or high temperature.

7/ Thumbs forward Arms-Akimbo has a completely different meaning. Note none of these men are displaying Thumbs Forward.

8/ Although Trump is talking, the three men on Trump's left (including Eric) are body pointing away from Donald Trump. Of the five men on Trump's right, four of five are body-pointing at Trump. This is considerably less than full-attention/full-authority mode.

9/ The man on the far left is clasping his right wrist with his left hand behind his back. This body language is considerably out-of-context. He's also is displaying an Inward Lip Roll.

10/ This hands-behind-his-back guy is suppressing strong emotion. He views himself as separate from the group and is there with emotional reservations which he's probably not sharing with the rest of the men.

11/ Note Trump has his right index finger extended, parallel with the long axis of his phone. This indicates he just delivered some authoritative declaration/orders either — and/or is awaiting news from orders already issued.

12/ If Trump received some new information that was suddenly not to his advantage, that finger would not be extended. This particular index finger behavior (alpha-beta flux with good vs. bad news and/or truth vs. deception) is particularly commonly displayed by Donald Trump.

13/ Here Trump was speaking to, Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy ("I want you to do me a favor, though").

14/ In this image, Trump was speaking to Vladimir Putin.

15/ Summary: These men are waiting for someone &/or specific news. They're in the midst of a dichotomous decision and dichotomous planning. This is between "Do we go w/ plan A or Plan B". There's no/little grey-zone (in between) here. They view both decisions/paths as difficult.

16/ Summary (continued): Most of these men are resolved to a less-than-optimal/potentially bad outcome — but they will go with whatever Trump decides. Most of them have emotionally crossed their own personal mental-emotional Rubicon — they are committed.

17/ Summary (continued): However, the man to the far right of Trump (our far left) is suppressing strong emotions and does not view himself to be fully "on board".

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Addendum: All professionals interested in learning #BodyLanguage, please email ([e-mail]) or DM me — esp. attorneys, judges, paralegals, actors, directors, C-level executives, sales professionals, teachers, parents, health care professionals, & crisis mgmt.