Body language expert calls Trump and Elon Musk ‘father-son’ despite Sean Hannity calling them ‘brothers’
WASHINGTON, DC: Body language expert Judi James revealed the moment when President Donald Trump's smile "died" and Tesla tycoon Elon Musk appeared "stricken" when Fox News host Sean Hannity likened them to "brothers".
She added that despite Hannity's remark Trump and Musk showed more traits of a father-and-son relationship during their sit down.
Moreover, James compared Trump's body language to that of a superior silverback gorilla in the side-by-side interview with Musk, amid public insinuations that the head of DOGE is indeed in charge of the government.
Sean Hannity said Donald Trump and Elon Musk looked like 'brothers'
In a joint interview, Fox News host Sean Hannity did not hold back when questioning President Donald Trump and Elon Musk about their recent DOGE moves.
Hannity's comparison of the two major personalities to siblings caused the conversation to take an unpleasant turn. "I feel like I'm interviewing the two brothers," he said, per the Irish Star.
James offered commentary on the exchange and explained, "Both looked down to the floor in a cut-off ritual that hid their eye expression and Trump's smile died as he seemed to urge the interview on and away from the comparison, while Musk had a micro-expression that looked stricken."
Body language expert reveals Trump and Musk resemble a 'father-son' relationship
Over the course of the past several months, Musk and Trump have built what initially appeared to be an unlikely connection.
Judi James revealed that Trump was gushing and that he and Musk mostly share a "father-son" attachment. However, she cautioned, "That’s not how we tend to see him in a real father-son relationship."
"It looks like one we might see in the real world, but not in Trump’s world," James said, per The US Sun.
"If comparisons were to be drawn, the heavyweight, silverback body language from Trump and the fizzing, excitable body language from Musk would more closely resemble a father-son dynamic, although Trump has never displayed any of these traits in public with his own children," she added.
Critics have said that Musk behaves more like the president than Trump because of his position in the federal government. James further addressed the power dynamics at play.
She exposed the areas where Trump used his power and demonstrated who was in charge. "But he didn’t try and belittle or make Musk look submissive," James said.
Elon Musk appeared to be 'mirroring' Donald Trump’s body language, expert claims
James claimed that Musk appeared to be "mirroring" Trump's body language. "He had splayed knees. He had the steepled fingers but his were much more of a precision gesture," she said.
"His fingertips were touching together which implies absolute precise forensic thought. He had cocked thumbs so he looked incredibly confident," James added.
James acknowledged that initially, it appeared Musk could control the conversation. However, Trump was in charge.
She made reference to Trump tilting his head in Musk's direction and asking him to respond. "That implies this is my interview, but it is your moment to step in," James clarified.
"That was a very strong signal that he saw himself as being very much in charge."
According to James, Musk eye-checked Trump at several points. "This is usually a less senior pose that you’re wanting to check you’ve got approval and agreement," she explained.
James unveiled yet another indication of Trump's power. "We also got blocking touches. There were a couple of times when Musk took over the conversation but he faltered," she said.
"At one point, he couldn’t think of the answer and Trump stopped him. He patted him on the arm and interrupted him verbally. It was very much the parent status, very much still in Trump’s court," James added.
Judi James predicts whether Trump and Musk's 'bromance' will result in 'divorce'
During a lighthearted joint interview on Fox News, Hannity compared Trump and Musk to "brothers." Body language expert Judi James told Daily Mail that the president came off as the alpha male in the side-by-side conversation.
"Trump sat hunched and with his knees splayed in an alpha position. His hands were clasped between his legs but not in his usual high-status steeple. Instead, his fingers and his thumbs drooped, suggesting he was not quite on top of his game with Musk," James said.
According to James, Trump and Musk are such an "unorthodox couple" that the conversation took on the "body language narrative of a royal engagement" by letting viewers to observe the "dynamics of their relationship in close-up technicolor."
However, James, like Americans who were watching the relationship develop, is still uncertain about how it will turn out, given the high stakes for both the public and the government.
"Does it work? Does it seem authentic, does it look like a partnership of convenience and, most importantly, will it end in an acrimonious ‘divorce’?" James asked.
Despite appearing to be the most powerful person in the conversation, Trump voiced his displeasure about issuing careless executive orders and depending on Musk and his group of young enforcers to execute them.
Musk then flashed his T-shirt with the words "tech support" on it, which downplayed the power of the richest man in the world as DOGE-pressured agencies dismiss thousands of federal workers.
