It's Trump vs the world! Body language expert reveals what Trump is REALLY thinking at NATO summit

[superbeets]

[h=1]It's Trump vs the world! Body language expert reveals what Trump is REALLY thinking at NATO summit as he barges through other world leaders, slaps a man for ignoring him and endures THAT handshake with the French PM[/h]

• Donald Trump's first day at the NATO summit on Thursday was eventful
• He shoved the prime minister of Montenegro and slapped a man on the arm
• Trump also got into two public handshake confrontations with the French leader
• Body language expert Patti Smith says Trump has a 'primal need' to be an 'alpha'
• That means he gets angry if he feels he's being ignored or kept at the back
• She also revealed his 'power moves' and how the French PM combated them

Donald Trump took on all comers on the first day of the NATO gathering in Brussels: shoving the prime minister of Montenegro, slapping a man on the arm and getting into a pair of handshake competitions with the French leader.


The president's brash behavior stirred up the world, but exactly what he was thinking has remained a mystery - until now.

 

[superbeets]

[h=2]Trump vs NATO leaders: Trump's brash behavior is 'primal, angry peacocking'[/h]The most controversial moment saw Trump barging his way to the front of a group of NATO leaders, ahead of a photoshoot.
He was seen shoving aside Montenegro prime minister Duško Marković without even a sideways glance.
Marković, whose country will not be an official NATO member for another month, was to be positioned at the rear of the image, while the US gets pride of place at the front, alongside the UK.
But the leaders appeared to be talking among themselves when Trump entered, and were not yet in position for the photo.

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Shove it: Trump's anger about being stuck at the back of a crowd when he needs to be an 'alpha' led to him shoving the leader of Montenegro on Thursday, a body language expert said

Wood says that Trump's reaction to finding himself at the back of the group was one of pure anger.
'His eyes are narrow and the teeth show slightly as [Marković] is pushed,' she said. 'It wasn't a mistake, it wasn't "I didn't really mean to," it was motivated by anger, and that propelled him to the front of the room.
'Contextually, it was anger at being at the back of the photo op, but I think underneath that is the desire to be alpha, to be first, to be at the front.'
Once he's at the front of the group, Wood notes, Trump straightens his back, puts on a proud face and buttons up his jacket.
'When he brings his shoulders up and back, elongates his neck and brings his head and chin up - this is something I have labeled "peacocking,"' she said.
'At that moment he's not really aware of the [world leaders] around him; it's like he's only aware of how he looks to his public, to the camera.'

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Peacock: Expert Patti Smith said Trump's resulting posturing was 'peacocking' - showing off that he'd made it to the front of the world leaders - caused by a 'primal' drive to be 'in charge'

That 'switch from anger at being in back to pride at being in front' takes just 'milliseconds,' Wood says - a sign that it comes from Trump's limbic brain, which houses the emotional area of the human consciousness.
'Underneath that, nonverbally, that tells you that's what he needs,' she says. 'It's primally wired, to go there.'
She adds that Trump is not doing what so many others in the scene are doing: making eye contact or connecting with those around him.
'He wants to be alpha, he wants to be first, he wants to be in charge. Connection or equality is not what we're seeing, not verbally.'
She notes that the other world leaders act with surprise to his brazen display, but not anger. But world leaders do generally control their emotions, she said.
'What's always interesting about his behavior is that we typically see world leaders that control their anger or displeasure they have a facade or a sense of decorum, that's what we're used to seeing,' she explained.
'This is not what we're seeing with him, which is why he continues to surprise.'

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Best laid plans: Trump and Montenegro PM Duško Marković had gathered before an official NATO photo. This plan put Trump (US) in the front row and M Marković ('MON') in the corner

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Ignoring: Wood said that while other world leaders were connecting with one another before the photo, Trump was only concerned with how he would be seen on camera, not by his peers

 

[superbeets]

Trump vs Macron, Round 1: 'Keeping people off guard' and Macron's winning 'power move'

Trump had two run-ins with Emmanuel Macron, the newly elected leader of France, on his first day at the NATO gathering both of which saw the pair being combative in their handshakes.
In the first, Trump is seen walking with NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg and German chancellor Angela Merkel at the start of the day's events, when the group are approached by Macron.
Trump holds out his hands, only for Macron to weave away from him and embrace Merkel. Macron then shakes hands with Stoltenberg, who is between her and Trump.
Trump would be next, but Macron turns away from him, to the right, to shake hands with Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel.
Finally, he turns his attention to the president, who wears a rictus grin.
'We know he's angry because his lips are folded back and he's squinting his eyes,' Wood says.

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Blanked: New French prime minister Emmanuel Macron greets German chancellor Angela Merkel. Trump (left) had attempted to shake his hand, but Macron swerved to Merkel and met three others before Trump. Wood said Trump's smile here is a fake - he is actually 'angry'

Macron holds out his hand and Trump yanks it towards himself. The pair then engage in a vigorous tug-of-war with one-another.
Wood, who has done three years of research into the psychology of handshakes, is familiar with Trump's practice of tugging on arms instead of engaging in a more traditional handshake.
'It's important to remember that Trump didn't used to shake hands,' she said.
'He said he is a germophobe, but also handshakes are designed to show that you're equal, that "You're safe and I'm safe" and sometimes people in power see that as giving away some of their power.
'I think it's less to do with germs and more about keeping people off kilter and unequal.
'And this tug-of-war handshake does that, because people have an expectation of what this should be, and they don't expect it.'

Tug of war: Trump attempted to get control back by yanking on Macron's arm (left) - a 'power move' said Wood. But Macron fought back (right), frustrating Trump's attempt

But Macron isn't as easy a target a Trump expects, she says: After a second or so of tugging, the French prime minister puts his free hand on top of Trump's forearm.
That's what Wood calls a 'power move'.
'That's actually a technique I teach for dealing with bonecrushing handshakes and shaking too long,' she says.
Macron went over-the-top by putting his hand on Trump's forearm, she says, but putting his hand on Trump's effectively showed that he was in control and had power.
After they break the shake, Macron pats him on the shoulder and leans past him to greet someone else. Trump pats him on the back before turning away.

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French resistance: Macron is seen here about to pat Trump on the forearm with his left hand - another 'power move' that says he is in control and has the power, Wood said

 

[superbeets]

[h=2]Trump vs Macron, Round 2: Donald's 'insincere congratulations' and world's longest handshake[/h]More awkward handshake shenanigans came during a second meeting between the US and French leaders on Thursday, prior to their working lunch.
The pair appeared for a brief photo-op at the residence of the US ambassador to Belgium.
Trump - who had previously commended Macron's opponent, far-right anti-immigration politician Marine Le Pen - congratulated the new prime minister on his win.
But he didn't mean what he said, says Wood.




'As he begins talking, he pulls his whole body away from Macron - that's a mismatch with his words,' she said.
'He's saying great things - normally in that situation you would face towards, move towards or lean towards the person,' she said. 'You want to connect with them.'
Instead, she says, he keeps twitching away from Macron as he speaks, and stumbles over the words 'newly elected' - a subconscious clue that Trump didn't want Macron to win.
But Trump does lean right into Macron at one point: When he says the young politician had a 'tremendous victory.'
'That's interesting,' said Wood. 'This is a difficult read for me, but I'm thinking he always talks about his own "tremendous victory" and there's a bit of that in there.
'It's not that he likes [Macron winning], but that he's harking back to his own election. He's not really congratulating him... I think he's thinking about himself.'

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Seeing the point: Trump's body language - steepled fingers at the crotch, legs wide - in this second meeting between Macron and Trump is 'alpha' and 'sexual,' Wood said. Macron, meanwhile, appears to be trying to 'protect his manliness' with his hands

She also notes their positions on the chairs, with Trump steepling his fingers in front of his crotch and sitting with his legs spread.
'That's very alpha male,' she says, 'it's very sexual - the placement [of the steepled fingers] is sexually charged and says "I'm alpha male."'
Macron is less commanding, she says - 'he has the outside leg pointed out, like he wants out of there. Usually you see the legs of both men more formally placed.'
And while Macron's hands are also by his crotch, they are clenched and less powerful.
'Macron is doing it more protectively, hands are down and flat out - he's protecting his manliness,' she said.




But Macron goes from Trump's beta to Trump's beater soon afterward, when the pair engage in their second brutal handshake of the day.
At first, it looks like Trump has the upper hand - literally.
'He says, "Congratulations good job," but he keeps his hand close to his body, which means Macron has to do the reaching,' Wood says.
'That shows that he has some power, so Macron has to lean over.'
But things soon change for Trump.

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No great shakes: Macron again triumphed in the handshake part of their meeting, with a stern face - like he's lifting weights - that said he was powerful, Wood suggested

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Get a grip? Trump attempted to release his hand from the shake but Macron kept pumping for five seconds, 'winning' the competition, Wood said

'Macron is doing the pulling back,' Wood said. 'He's pulling back, it's a fair contest, equal.'
The excruciating, white-knuckle shake rolled on for five second as the cameras flashed and Trump and Macron gazed at one another, jaws tense.
'Macron does that facial expression, with his face tight, like he's lifting weights - he's getting power and energy over him.'
Trump attempted to release his hand from Macron's grip twice, but the French president - the country's youngest leader since Napoleon - kept pumping.
Eventually, Macron let go and spoke in his native French about the need to discuss several things with Trump, including climate change.
But before he did so, there was one thing Wood noticed: 'Macron looks to the camera like, "Did you see that?" A little moment of pride that he didn't let Trump win.
'He's really pleased with how he won. That he didn't lose the handshake competition.'

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French pride: Macron's grin shows that 'we's really pleased with how he won,' Wood said - even though he initially had to lean in to meet Trump's hand, losing power at the start

 

[superbeets]

[h=2]Trump vs Britain: Trump slaps man 'for ignoring him' and 'punishes' UK foreign secretary for not greeting him sooner[/h]A final clip shows Trump walking through a room filled with politicians ahead of a NATO meeting. He strides through, head up, alongside Stoltenberg. But it's not a warm reception.
'Nobody’s turning to him, nobody’s making eye contact with him, nobody's turning to greet him, which is what would be normal,' she said.
'But he's not making an effort either... He has the expectation that people should turn to him.
'He could go to people [and project the message]: "I'm the president of America, let me come and acknowledge you. I am presidential and powerful and benevolent, and I want to give you my greeting."
'But he has a different sense of what it means to be powerful, and it doesn't match what we typically see in a US president.
'He has a need to be number one, alpha, powerful, and needs to be winning over someone in every moment. No restraint, no decorum, but overpowering.'

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No introduction: Trump is seen entering a meeting alongside NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg (center, with gray hair). His attitude suggests he expects attention, Wood said

At one point a man glances up and sees Trump as he strides past, but as he spins to face the president, he turns away, not towards him - and gets a quick slap on the arm from Trump as a result.
'He hit him for turning away, not turning towards him. Trump felt like, "You didn't acknowledge me, you didn't turn to me - and I'm going to hit you for that.
'It was a hit, not a touch. He didn't linger there and say, "Hey, we should acknowledge each other. And he didn't think he would get caught.
'It is in no way normal leader behavior - it's more like a locker room.'
Wood said that the action was instinctive for Trump - an 'immediate response'. 'It's very primal,' she said, 'a lack of self control. which I think we’ve said before, and in [NATO] of all places!'

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Unhappy slapping: Trump, upset that he had been 'ignored' by the man on the left, slapped him as he walked by - which shows anger, a need to be noticed and a lack of self control, Wood said

Trump - not breaking stride with the slap - then comes across a huddle of UK politicians, including Prime Minister Theresa May and the foreign secretary, Boris Johnson.
None of them look at him until Stoltenberg intervenes, at which point Johnson turns around - but he's the only one.
The rest of the Brits - who that day announced they would stop sharing intelligence with the US after a recent leak - continue chatting among themselves.
Wood says they are 'making a choice' not to engage - and that 'he didn't go to them either, which would have been OK, but he would have to make a move and then he would feel that he is losing power.
Instead, Trump and Johnson engage in some banter while they shake hands.
But it's not as friendly as it might appear.

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Blonde on blonde: Trump slapped the back of UK foreign secretary Boris Johnson's hand - as a 'punishment' for not turning around and acknowledging him sooner, Wood suggested

While Trump isn't tugging on Johnson's arm, he is repeatedly slapping the Brit's hand with his spare hand.
'It’s admonishment, "Bad boy, bad boy!"' Wood said. 'He's punishing Johnson for not turning around sooner - it's not about the handshake it’s about not doing it sooner.'
Trump finishes off the handshake by putting his hand on Johnson's shoulder and rocking him back and forth.
'That’s a power move as well,' Wood said. 'It's not a pat on the back, he's pulling him into his space, pulling him off center. You can see how he levers him.
'And look how Trump smiles. He's pleased he won the competition.'
For his part Johnson seems surprised, and turns to the cameras as he points at the president.
'When he points at him, that's a symbolic gun shooting at Trump,' she said. 'There's a bit of anger in there.'

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Gun and games: Trump then put his hand on Johnson's shoulder - not as a friendly gesture, but to push him around. Johnson's pointing fingers are a 'symbolic gun' shooting Trump Wood said

May then turns around, seeing Trump apparently for the first time, but doesn't fully turn to face him. Trump pats her on the back and walks away.
'She is pulling away and down, instead of pulling towards him, and he reaches pretty far to do that pat on the back,' Wood said.
'She chooses - she turns to follow him, but she doesn't chose to turn to shake hands with him, or be in the moment with him, or put her hand on him.'
'And its interesting that his initiation is a hit - a pat on the back - rather than going in front of her and offering his hand, or making eye contact first.
'You don’t hit somebody from behind, because it's a surprise - it puts them off-kilter.'

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A slap on the back: UK prime minister Theresa May got a pat on the back when she chose not to turn around properly acknowledge Trump, Wood said. But Trump didn't try to talk to her either

Finally, Trump stands at an empty chair and pats it, apparently at a loss, until Stoltenberg directs him to the chair next to May.
Trump moves over to it before giving a smile for the cameras.
'He holds the back of the chair with two hands and then he has a very forced grin,' Wood says. 'I think in that moment he's realized he's fumbled a little bit and - like that peacocking before, he’s trying to recover for the photo.
'He touches his tie for comfort, and then he's grabbing at the chair for security.
'If you look at his weight, hes forward, he's not totally upright, he’s touching it to ground himself, and then he has that very forced smile.'
Trump's smile vanishes suddenly before the video ends.

Grin and bear it: Trump's awkward smile after standing by the wrong chair was 'peacocking' for the cameras, Wood said. His smile quickly evaporated (right)

 

[superbeets]

Read more:

• Body Language Expert and Speaker | Patti Wood, MA, CSP

 

[superbeets]

United Steel Worker, Iron Range, United States, 2 hours ago
Don't need a body language lefty to interpret Trump while he eats these effeminate leaders alive.

 

[superbeets]

kaz, bristol, 2 hours ago
So what who wants a beta as a leader?



Sexy_Redhead, Bellevue WA, United States, 2 hours ago
The lefties that voted for Barry, who loves to lead from behind.

 

[Willie99]

Oh yeah? Well Trump married a model and Macron married his mommy, so there, take that



It's funny how some fucking idiots get to make a living, psycho analyzing a hand shake. I bet that's even a major at some liberal university

That way you can create any narrative you want with bullshit

 

[GasMan]

Trump knows these faux world leaders are total pieces of shit and is acting accordingly.