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.
Scroll down for video
'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.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
20 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Greta 'mistreated and mocked' by dancing Israeli officials before deportation
French doctor Bapiste Andre was on 'freedom flotilla' with Greta Thunberg - he said the group were subject to 'mockery' when they were intercepted by Israeli officials An activist on the 'freedom flotilla' boat with Greta Thunberg has said the latter was mistreated by Israeli officials. There "were acts of mistreatment" according to Baptiste Andre, who spoke to French media after the group of 12 were brought to the port of Ashdod. Mr Andre, a doctor, said there were 'no acts of physical violence', but that they were subject to sleep deprivation and 'mockery' by Israeli officials. He said this was 'especially' focussed on Ms Thunberg. 'As soon as [ Thunberg ] fell asleep, the immigration services came to wake her up' he claimed, adding that music was turned loud and members of the immigration services 'danced in front of us'. Adding there was some difficulty for the detainees in gaining access to food, water and toilets, Andre said: 'It took three hours to get a piece of bread.' On X, the Israeli foreign ministry said: 'The passengers of the 'Selfie Yacht' arrived at Ben Gurion Airport to depart from Israel and return to their home countries. Those who refuse to sign deportation documents and leave Israel will be brought before a judicial authority.' Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer said Thunberg was party to ' Instagram activism'. Israeli officials have received criticism after calling the group anti-semitic amid their attempts to bring food to people in Gaza. The UN has warned Gaza's population is at risk of famine. Ms Thunberg was one of 12 passengers on the Madleen, a ship carrying aid to Gaza. Israeli naval forces seized the boat without incident early on Monday about 125 miles off of Gaza's coast, according to the coalition, which along with rights groups, said Israel's actions were a violation of international law. Israel rejects that charge because it says such ships intend to breach what it argues is a lawful naval blockade of Gaza. Speaking upon arrival at Paris' Charles de Gaulle Airport, Ms Thunberg called for the release of the other activists who were detained aboard the Freedom Flotilla. She described a 'quite chaotic and uncertain' situation during the detention. The activist added the conditions they faced 'are absolutely nothing compared to what people are going through in Palestine and especially Gaza right now'. 'We were well aware of the risks of this mission,' Ms Thunberg added. 'The aim was to get to Gaza and to be able to distribute the aid.' She said the activists would continue trying to get aid to Gaza.
NBC News
23 minutes ago
- NBC News
Head of controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation refuses to reveal who funds it
TEL AVIV — The new executive chairman for the controversial American-backed humanitarian organization distributing aid in the Gaza Strip refused to reveal the donors who are financing the agency, though he did tell NBC News that to his knowledge the group is not funded by the Israeli government. Johnnie Moore, an evangelical Christian and former PR consultant who advised President Donald Trump during his first term, was appointed executive chairman of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) last week as the organization reeled from the resignation of his predecessor. It has also faced criticism from the United Nations and aid groups for a lack of independence from Israel, which backs the organization along with the U.S. Since it started operating late last month, the group has set up aid distribution sites in Gaza in response to international pressure over serious malnutrition in Gaza, where Israel recently lifted an 11-week complete blockade on food, aid and medical supplies entering the enclave. But regular bouts of deadly violence in and around those sites has also brought increasing scrutiny on the GHF's source of funding and the degree of autonomy it has from Israel. In an exclusive interview with NBC News last week, Moore said it was 'a private foundation.' 'Like lots of private foundations, you know, it doesn't disclose its donors,' he said. 'Anything that we do and anything that we say publicly is going to distract from the mission, and we have one mission, just one mission, which is to feed Gazans.' Pressed on accusations that Israel was financing and controlling the organization, Moore said that 'based upon what I know, this is an independent initiative that is not funded by the Israeli government.' Other questions have also swirled around the GHF, even before it launched four aid distribution points in southern and central Gaza. A day before it began operations in the strip, Moore's predecessor Jake Wood resigned, saying in a letter published by Reuters that continuing to work with the group would compromise his 'neutrality, impartiality and independence.' United Nations agencies and major aid groups that previously ran hundreds of community kitchens and bakeries in the enclave have also refused to cooperate with it, saying it violates humanitarian principles by allowing Israel to decide who receives aid, forces widespread displacement in Gaza, and concentrates distribution in areas that may not be accessible to everyone. Setting up so few sites for food distribution meant crowd control problems were inevitable, according to Ciaran Donnelly, the senior vice president for international programs at the International Rescue Committee, which ran major relief operations in Gaza. 'No aid organization would recommend doing it that way,' he said. Inside Israel, as well, critics have questioned its independence. Last month in front of Israel's legislature, opposition leader Yair Lapid, without providing evidence, accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government of funding the GHF through foreign shell companies. And last week, citing unnamed public officials, Israel's public broadcaster, Kan, reported that the Israeli government had sent hundreds of millions of shekels to the group. Israel's government has repeatedly denied it funds the GHF. Any organization 'being used by occupying powers' would not be able to carry out its task according to the humanitarian principles of impartiality and independence, said Philip Grant, the executive director of TRIAL International, a Geneva-based nongovernmental organization that advocates for victims of war crimes. TRIAL International has called on the Swiss government to investigate GHF, whose only registered presence outside the U.S. is in Geneva. While the GHF has said it is working to open new sites, including in northern Gaza, no such distribution points have opened yet, forcing some Palestinians with advanced injuries and disabilities to walk long distances for aid — often through dangerous areas and extreme heat. Such onerous requirements for something as basic as food could amount to war crimes, Grant said, and could even lead to accusations that organizations like GHF are complicit. 'This operation comes with a huge risk in terms of violations of the Geneva Conventions,' Grant said. 'Especially the forced displacement of populations, which, if carried out, would be a participation in the war crime of enforced displacement of civilian population.'
Belfast Telegraph
an hour ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Genocide Convention not considered by Central Bank when approving Israel Bonds
However, Gabriel Makhlouf said the intensity of the conflict in Gaza does put 'a question mark over whether the financial viability' of Israel remains secure. The Central Bank is the designated authority in relation to the sale of Israel Bonds in the EU, and has determined the securities meet the standards of the bloc's prospectus regulations. Israel Bonds have been advertised as supporting the country's economy, and more recently, websites promoting the securities emphasise their role in supporting Israel's military operations in Gaza. Protesters and opposition parties have called for legislation that would give Ireland the power to refuse the sale of Israeli 'war bonds' over human rights concerns. They say the bonds are intended to fund the war in Gaza, while Ireland has an obligation under the Genocide Convention to use all means likely to have a deterrent effect on those suspected of preparing genocide. Demonstrators rallied outside Leinster House on Wednesday as the head of the bank appeared before the Finance Committee, before a Dail vote calling on the Government to take action to prevent the approval of the bonds. Mr Makhlouf said the Central Bank must carry out the statutory tasks and functions it has been assigned. He said it was 'incorrect' to say the bank could refuse to approve the Israeli bond prospectus on the basis of international law rulings and opinions. 'The Central Bank cannot impose sanctions on Israel, for example by refusing to approve the Israeli bond prospectus, in circumstances where the EU has not imposed any such sanctions itself.' Asked by Sinn Fein finance spokesman Pearse Doherty if the Central Bank subscribes to the Genocide Convention, the governor said the authority has to operate within the legal framework allocated to it, but added that the Genocide Convention does not feature in the EU prospectus regulation. Pressed on whether it applied to the bank overall, Mr Makhlouf said 'it applies to the state' and added that, with regard to approving prospectuses: 'In that sense no, it doesn't.' Under similar questioning from Social Democrats' deputy leader Cian O'Callaghan, deputy governor Mary-Elizabeth McMunn said: 'Ireland is the contracting party under the Genocide Convention. It does not explicitly say the Central Bank is a contracting party under the Genocide Convention.' Asked if he believed what was happening in Gaza was genocide, Mr Makhlouf said that was a legal concept determined by the ICJ and no one at the Central Bank could comment authoritatively as experts on that matter. He added: 'But what's clear is that what is happening in Gaza is appalling, horrific.' The governor said everyone at the Central Bank wants to see 'an immediate end to hostilities by all parties'. The Israel Bond prospectus is up for renewal in September. Asked by Labour finance spokesman Ged Nash what factors the bank would be looking for in engagements with Israel at that point, Mr Makhlouf replied: 'I think the intensity of the conflict in in Gaza probably does put a question mark over whether the financial viability of the state still remains secure. 'The fact that the European Union has indicated that it's going to look at its co-operation agreement of Israel, I think that's a factor. The fact that the [Israeli] finance minister has just been sanctioned by a number of countries, that may be a factor.' He said it would be up to Israel to assess whether these factors affect its financial standing when putting together the prospectus, but added that the bank would be required to approve the next prospectus if all matters are completely disclosed. Meanwhile, Mr Makhlouf said national restrictive measures could be imposed by the Oireachtas to stop the approval of the prospectuses, if they were consistent with EU law. However, he said he would find it 'difficult' to say that it is 'possible' to do that in this case, because one member state acting on its own would undermine the whole prospectus regulation. He said he had not taken legal advice on this and added that he was 'not ruling out' the possibility. 'Prospectus regulation doesn't just apply to states, it applies to corporates, it applies to anybody who wants to issue a regulation in certain circumstances. 'So what I'm not ruling out is the possibility that some domestic legislation could prevent an individual corporate being able to issue security in certain circumstances, but this is real hypothetical stuff.' Mr Doherty asked if the Central Bank would deem the ICJ findings a 'risk' for an investor who wishes to purchase Israel Bonds. Mr Makhlouf said the case taken by South Africa against Israel was included in the September prospectus that was approved by the bank. Gerry Cross, the bank's director of capital markets and funds, added that it was the authority's belief that it was articulated and disclosed to the level that is required. Mr Cross later told the committee that the Bank had made approximately 13,300 euro in fees through its work relating to the bonds since October 2023.
