EXCLUSIVE Body language expert reveals secret message hidden in Trump and Melania's hand-holding...
As President Donald Trump and first lady Melania emerged onto the Truman Balcony on Easter Monday, there was an interaction that could have seemed troubling to the naked eye.
The first couple were welcoming families to the White House for the annual Easter Egg Roll when Trump appeared to gently reach for Melania's hand.
But she didn't take it as the first notes of the Star-Spangled Banner rang out.
While some eagle-eyed members of the audience may have concluded that all was not well, a body language expert told Daily Mail that the first lady was being respectful during the playing of the national anthem.
The gesture may have had echoes of the time Melania swatted away her husband's hand during a 2017 trip to Israel.
After a media frenzy, the first lady explained in her memoir that she had not wanted to crowd out Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife.
Now, body language expert Judi James has said the gesture on the Truman Balcony had a similarly innocuous explanation: that the first lady was probably simply adhering to protocol for the anthem.
James also said it was their only 'miss' during the day - and summarized that Trump and Melania have managed to perfect their non-verbal communication.
She added that the pair seemed 'tactile' and Melania's 'appreciation signals' were 'industrial strength' during her rare appearance at the White House.
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'The Trumps finally seem to have mastered the art of the non-verbal, synchronized tie-sign: those small touches and pats that couples use to subtly direct each other in terms of emotional need or social choreography,' she said.
'Donald and Melania emerged onto the balcony... with hands already clasped in an Easter-inspired PDA and each time they needed to break the clasp and their hands ended up dangling together, it was Donald putting in the silent "request" to re-clasp by nudging Melania's hand gently and slightly needily.
'Each time he got a speedy response as she obliged by putting her hand into his,' James added.
'Their only moment of any "miss" came when the anthem was being sung and Melania, who has always tended to be the body language protocol-prefect at public events - nudging her husband when necessary - pulled her own hand out of their clasp, apparently in a bid to remind him that his hand should be placed onto his chest,' she explained.
The president ended up making a salute during the singing of the anthem, while Melania put her right hand over her heart.
Overall, James called it a 'relatively tactile appearance' between the Trumps, where they had one very deliberate 'display' of hand-clasping - walking out on the Truman Balcony hand-in-hand.
She also took notice of the first couple's 'glances, chats and grins of good humor' during the egg-rolling game.
'Their ability to blow their whistles in unison seemed to impress them... Every time they started a race with coordinated whistle-blows they turned to each other with a "reward" smile and even some playful laughter,' she noticed.
While he was out walking on the South Lawn, Trump started recalling how a White House aide, dressed as the Easter Bunny, had led President Joe Biden away from a group of reporters during the 2022 Easter Egg Roll.
'That was a beautiful moment when the bunny saved Joe Biden,' Trump said.
'What a good-looking crowd.
'You remember when the bunny saved Joe Biden?' he asked moments later. 'The bunny's not going to save me, right? I've got a better bunny.'
During this moment, James points out that 'Melania forms a supportive double-act with her husband here as he showboats to the crowds, telling his pre-planned-sounding gag.'
'Her appreciation signals are industrial strength as his hands splay to create a comedy pose.
'Melania hears the gag forming and turns to face Trump with her cheeks getting round in a signal of anticipation,' James continued.
'She even bends at the waist to join in visually, complimenting his "joke" and ramping up the comedy by leaning in, first with a playful grin and then a mouth that is open in laughter,' James said.
'This creates a flattering and very loyal reaction role-model for his audience.'
Melania wasn't nearly as impressed when Trump repeated the joke.
'When Trump double-dips though, immediately repeating the gag, Melania's reaction is more tempered,' James said. 'She wrinkles her nose obligingly but this time her smile is a "lightning" smile that drops away quickly.'
James also noticed an interesting dynamic in the first couple's hand-holding.
'Their clasps showed a tendency to power-swap,' she said.
'As a rule, it's the one with their hand on top in the clasp that is seen as the more dominant partner but it was telling about Melania's power renaissance during this stint in the White House that it was her hand on top in the clasp on more than one occasion as she led her husband along rather than the other way round.'
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