Body language expert sees 'seismic change' in Melania signaling 'more even power balance' with Trump

Body language expert sees 'seismic change' in Melania signaling 'more even power balance' with Trump
US President Donald Trump, and First Lady Melania Trump walk down steps to view the White House Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House on April 21, 2025, in Washington, DC (Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC: As Donald Trump serves his second term as the 47th President of the United States, First Lady Melania Trump has largely maintained a low public profile. Yet, in the moments she does appear alongside the president, a noticeable shift in their relationship dynamic is on display. 

Body language expert Judi Jones has weighed in, offering fresh insight into what these rare joint appearances reveal. According to Jones, the couple now presents a far more balanced partnership, both personally and politically, compared to Trump’s first term in office, as per Irish Star.

U.S. President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and the Easter Bunny greet guests durning the White House Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House on April 21, 2025 in Washington, DC. The White House is expecting thousands of children and adults to participate in the annual tradition of rolling colored eggs down the White House lawn, which was started by President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1878. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and the Easter Bunny greet guests during the White House Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House on April 21, 2025 in Washington, DC (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Body language expert highlights Melania’s transformation during Donald Trump’s second term

Body language expert Judi Jones has observed a striking transformation in the dynamic between President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump during his second term. 

In her analysis of their recent public appearances at official White House events, Jones notes that their interactions have grown noticeably more physical, emotionally intense, and even intimate, far more than in the past.

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 20: President Donald Trump walks onstage with wife Melania at the Commander-in-Chief Ball on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Trump attends some of the inaugural balls after taking the oath as the 47th president. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump walks onstage with wife Melania at the Commander-in-Chief Ball on January 20, 2025, in Washington, DC (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

“There has been a seismic change in Donald and Melania's body language for this current term in the White House,” Jones explained. “In terms of time spent together, there seems to be a 'less is more' tendency that has given fuel to the speculation that their lives have gone down separate professional paths.”

Jones also pointed to Melania's current White House portrait, prominently displayed in the East Wing, as a symbol of her evolving role. Rather than adopting the traditional, supportive stance of a First Lady, Melania is depicted as a figure of authority, standing at the head of a conference table in sharp, CEO-style attire. 

According to Jones, "Melania's official portrait for the White House seemed to set the tone for her enhanced profile. She chose to adopt a pose more suited to a powerful CEO than a traditional, supportive FLOTUS, standing at the head of a board table with a distinctly power-dressed styling."

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 19: U.S. President Donald Trump hands a marker to First lady Melania Trump during the signing ceremony for the TAKE IT DOWN Act alongside lawmakers and victims of AI deepfakes and revenge porn in the Rose Garden of the White House on May 19, 2025 in Washington, DC. The first lady made the Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Networks (TAKE IT DOWN) Act a priority, traveling to Capitol Hill to lobby lawmakers and show her support for the legislation, which addresses non-consensual intimate imagery, or
US President Donald Trump hands a marker to First Lady Melania Trump during the signing ceremony for the TAKE IT DOWN Act alongside lawmakers and victims of AI deepfakes and revenge porn in the Rose Garden of the White House on May 19, 2025 in Washington, DC (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Supporting this shift, Melania has thrown her weight behind several legislative efforts, most notably the 'Take It Down Act.' The bipartisan law, signed by President Trump on May 19, 2025, targets the growing threat of non-consensual explicit imagery, including AI-generated deepfakes and so-called "revenge porn." 

Jones suggested that Melania’s public backing of the bill underscores her increased involvement in meaningful policy work and signals a more influential and assertive presence within the administration.

Judi Jones observes affectionate body language between Melania and Donald Trump

Judi Jones also points to early signs of Melania Trump's growing assertiveness in her book 'Melania', which was published before Donald Trump’s return to the presidency. 

According to Jones, the book offered a glimpse of a more independent and self-assured Melania. She said, “She had been very firm about having 'My own yes's and my own no's', introducing a much more assertive version of Melania with her own views and opinions.”

U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk to Marine One as they depart the White House on April 25, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Trump and the first lady are traveling to Rome to attend the funeral of Pope Francis. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump walk to Marine One as they depart the White House on April 25, 2025, in Washington, DC (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

There was speculation at the time that the couple might operate from separate spheres—Trump governing from the White House while Melania remained largely at Mar-a-Lago. 

However, their public appearances during the second term have challenged that assumption, with Jones observing unexpected signs of warmth and emotional connection between the two. “Their actual appearances together revealed signals of affection and closeness that the world had never been shown previously,” she added.

Judi Jones describes the couple's public interactions as even ‘flirtatious’ at times

Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump kisses former first lady Melania Trump as he arrives to speak during an election night event at the Palm Beach Convention Center on November 06, 2024 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Americans cast their ballots today in the presidential race between Republican nominee former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, as well as multiple state elections that will determine the balance of power in Congress. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump kisses First Lady Melania Trump as he arrives to speak during an election night event at the Palm Beach Convention Center on November 06, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Florida (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

When Donald and Melania Trump do appear in public together, body language expert Judi Jones observes a noticeable effort to project affection. Reflecting on their appearance at the National Day of Prayer service, Jones described the couple as looking “totally in tune and even flirtatious.” 

She noted moments of shared laughter, discreet whispers, and physical closeness that gave the impression of a genuinely connected and affectionate partnership. “They were tactile and they seemed to be enjoying each other's company,” Jones said.

She also highlighted a shift in the overall dynamic between the two, pointing out that their relationship now appears to reflect a greater sense of mutual understanding and equality, quite different from their first time in the White House. 

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump enter Emancipation Hall to review the troops his inauguration in the U.S. Capitol on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. Donald Trump takes office for his second term as the 47th president of the United States. (Photo by Jasper Colt - Pool/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump enter Emancipation Hall to review the troops at his inauguration in the US Capitol on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC (Jasper Colt - Pool/Getty Images)

“Their visual appearance seems much more in tune now, too. There is the look of a much more even power balance,” Jones explained. "Melania dressing 'corporate' more than 'film star'-chic. At one appearance she matched her husband in a black tuxedo suit and there is another when she has worn a shirt and tie in a much more masculine type of styling than usual."

According to Jones, this evolving style sends a clear message. “The overall message seems to be one of total agreement and negotiated signaling,” she said. “Melania will appear less but her appearances with her husband will involve some more intimate and affectionate, like-minded body language.”

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