Body language expert spots Trump’s ‘emotional’ moment while meeting Xi Jinping: ‘Not all smiles’
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing during a high-stakes state visit that a body language expert said carried an unusually heavy emotional weight for the US leader.
The summit was Trump’s first trip to China since 2017, and opened with an elaborate welcome ceremony and a lengthy handshake between the two leaders that experts said revealed a lot.
Body language expert Dr. Lillian Glass told the Mirror that Trump appeared visibly more serious and emotionally invested than usual during his interaction with Xi.
‘Not all smiles’ during high-stakes summit
“When Trump was standing near Xi, and they were shaking hands, he leaned in towards Xi, showing warmth and closeness towards Xi,” Glass said. “This was also another emotional moment for Trump, as you can see by his facial expression, where his eyes are squinted, and his lips are pursed.”
Glass added that the expression was rare for Trump and reflected the importance of the meeting. “This is not something we see expressed in Trump very often. It indicates that this is one of the most serious trips he is having, and he is not taking it lightly,” she explained.
The two leaders faced cameras while holding a prolonged handshake outside Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, with rows of Chinese and American flags displayed across the square.
According to Glass, the lack of relaxed expressions from Trump illustrated the gravity of the talks between Washington and Beijing.
“There is a strong handshake in the next photo, where Xi is looking directly at Trump, which is a good sign,” she said. “Xi appears relaxed, and Trump once again shows the seriousness of this meeting as he is not all smiles.”
The arrival ceremony itself was carefully choreographed. Soldiers carrying a mix of US and Chinese flags lined the area outside the Great Hall, while children dressed in brightly colored outfits waved flowers alongside small American and Chinese flags.
Trump praises China’s welcome ceremony
Trump praised the reception he received from the Chinese government and singled out the children who participated in the ceremony.
“I want to thank you very much. First of all, that was an honour, like few have ever seen before. And I think I was particularly impressed by those children. They were happy. They were beautiful,” he said.
The President added that while the military display “couldn't be better,” it was the children who left the bigger impression. “They represent so much. And I know they represent so much to you,” Trump said.
Trump also spoke of his personal relationship with Xi, portraying the bond as one built more on private conversations than formal diplomacy.
“We've had a fantastic relationship. We've gotten along when there were difficulties. We worked it out. I would call you, and you would call me, and whenever we had a problem, people don't know. Whenever we had a problem, we worked it out very quickly,” Trump explained.
The three-day summit marks the seventh face-to-face meeting between Trump and Xi in nine years.
