Body language expert claims Trump’s ’power move’ took Biden by surprise during their White House meeting
WASHINGTON, DC: President-elect Donald Trump showed signs of respect towards Joe Biden during their meeting at the White House on Wednesday, November 13, body language expert Judi James told Daily Mail.
Trump was invited to the White House after his decisive victory against Vice President Kamala Harris in the general election on November 5. It was the former president's first visit to the White House since he left office in January 2021 and chose to skip Biden's inauguration. He is set to reside in the White House again from January 2025.
Look at Biden do what Trump refused to do with him.
— Morgan J. Freeman (@mjfree) November 14, 2024
Biden is a great man. pic.twitter.com/HDOTd4ZHcJ
Expert decodes Donald Trump's body language during his meeting with Joe Biden
Before Donald Trump engaged Joe Biden in a private conversation, members of the White House press corps were allowed inside the Oval Office to briefly document their interaction.
According to James, 78-year-old Trump maintained a "passive" stance at the time and leaned over to talk to Biden, 81. It was apparently a sign of lowering his status to show respect to the incumbent.
"Trump sits rather low in his chair and employs two key gestures of a desire to look amenable rather than dominant," shared James, adding "Firstly he uses active listening signals as Biden speaks, including a forward torso lead and some nodding."
"His hands are placed between his splayed knees, avoiding any competing with Biden's emphatic 'man-splay' ritual of widely splayed legs and a hand on either knee," she explained, adding "Then when Biden instigates their handshake by holding his hand out in midair, Trump lowers his own perceived status by leaning his torso completely forward, even placing his free hand round his stomach to bend, in an act of inconvenience that allows Biden to look temporarily like top dog."
"His adopted pose avoids any power-posturing too," noted James. "His body language is calm and politely more passive than Biden's as though willing to show some final signals of respect here," she added.
Joe Biden congratulates Donald Trump at Oval Office
The meeting at the Oval Office began with Joe Biden publicly congratulating Trump over his election victory, stating, "Well, Mr President-elect and former president, Donald, congratulations."
"And, uh, looking forward to having, like we said, a smooth transition," he continued, adding "Do everything we can to make sure you're accommodated – what you need. And we're going to get a chance to talk about some of that today. So, welcome back."
Today I met with President-elect Trump in the Oval Office.
— President Biden (@POTUS) November 13, 2024
I look forward to leading a smooth transition and peaceful transfer of power. As I told the President-elect, my team is committed to doing everything we can to ensure the incoming administration has what they need. pic.twitter.com/vDri4HZFE3
Trump thanked Biden for his kind words and said, "Politics is tough, and it's in many cases not a very nice world,' he continued. 'But it is a nice world today and I appreciate it very much – and a transition that's so smooth, it'll be as smooth as it can get. And I very much appreciate that. Thank you."
The press was then dismissed by the POTUS.
James felt that Trump sounded "warm and conciliatory," adding, "Trump even self-polices the downward steeple of his hands at one point, changing the mild power gesture to a less status-induced clasp." However, his gentle finger tapping at one point betrayed some "suppressed impatience."
