Body language expert reveals hidden message behind Trump and Melania's hand-holding at WH Easter Egg Roll

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump’s romantic gestures and hand-holding during their joint appearance on Easter Monday, April 21, have provided a unique lens into the couple’s relationship, which has led body language expert Judi James to marvel over the couple’s newfound tendency “to power-swap.”

Speaking to the Daily Mail, the body language expert decoded the hidden meaning behind the couple’s PDA moments, and at times, the lack of it. 

As the 78-year-old Commander-in-Chief and his Slovenia-born wife made their grand entrance onto the Truman Balcony on Easter Monday, one of their interactions appeared to raise eyebrows among some of the members of the audience. 

As they were welcoming guests to the White House for the annual Easter Egg Roll, Trump appeared to gently touch his wife’s hand. However, in a subtle move, the former supermodel did not take Trump’s hand as the Star-Spangled Banner started playing.

Delving deep into the interaction, the body language expert, however, suggested that there is nothing much to read into the couple’s relationship to conclude that something is amiss.

Body language expert decodes Melania Trump’s reluctance to take Donald Trump’s hand 

Reflecting on the situation, body language expert Judi James said that Melania’s apparent reluctance to hold Trump’s hand stemmed from her desire to remain respectful during the playing of the national anthem. 

James claimed that the first lady did not take Trump’s hand during the national anthem as she was adhering to protocol for the anthem. The body language pro further pointed out that it was their only “miss” during the day when the couple was not in sync with each other. 

In fact, James shared that the couple has managed to achieve near-perfection in the tactile and non-verbal communication. 

“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,” shared James. 

She explained, “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,” pointed out the communication specialist, before highlighting, “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.”

The president, after getting gently schooled by his wife, made a salute during the anthem, as his wife put her palm over her heart. 

James inferred that it was a “relatively tactile appearance” between the Trumps, and pointed out that there was one very deliberate “display” of hand-clasping when they walked out on the Truman Balcony hand-in-hand.

Judi James points to the ‘power swap’ in Trumps’ hand-holding

The expert further noted the couple’s dynamics during the day’s event and said that the couple displayed a plethora of “glances, chats, and grins of good humor” during the 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,” noted James. 

She also highlighted an interesting aspect in the couple’s method of hand-holding. 

James shared, “Their clasps showed a tendency to power-swap.”

“As a rule,” she explained, before adding, “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.”