Hidden symbolism behind Donald Trump's bold hand gesture and what it really means

WASHINGTON, DC: Love him or hate him, one thing is for sure—people can’t take their eyes off Donald Trump. Whether it’s his policies, his speeches, or his body language, everything he does sparks a discussion. This time, it’s his hands that are drawing eyeballs.

The president recently addressed a joint session of Congress, telling lawmakers he’s “just getting started” after a roller-coaster six weeks in office. But while some were focused on his words, others were zeroing in on something else altogether—his signature hand gestures.

Now, thanks to TikTok, there are a slew of theories about why Trump positions his hands in a certain way. 

Viral video shows Donald Trump's go-to hand gesture

A TikTok video has been making the rounds, pointing out how Donald Trump often places his hands in a distinctive triangle-like shape when he sits. Some are calling it a subconscious power move, while others believe it has a deeper meaning, the Irish Star reported.

TikTok user @pacelov1 shared the video and captioned it, "Watched the debate between President Trump and Zelensky. President Trump's gesture, with his hands held in a pyramid shape, caught my attention. I wonder what meaning is hidden behind this gesture."

"I've read some interpretations online, but I'm still not sure what to believe. What do you think? Is it a common gesture in politics or does it have a hidden meaning? I'm waiting for your thoughts in the comments! Maybe we can find an answer together!" they asked their followers.

When asked what they thought the gesture meant, people had plenty to say.

“It’s a power pose and the wealthy learn this early on. It’s used more often to present false authority," one TikTok user wrote in the comments section of the video.

"I thought it was the only one seeing this. Elon does the same gesture," another noted.

“I’ve done this with my hands all my life. It keeps my mind balanced," someone else offered.

“Releasing stress. To stay balanced and focused," a theory read.

"No hidden meaning. Shrinks call it the outward pose indicating discomfort and deep thought," another chimed in.

While there’s no shortage of opinions on why Trump does this, there might be some actual science behind it. 

The 'steeple hands' theory 

According to body language experts, Donald Trump’s gesture is actually a well-known move called “steeple hands.” Apparently, this is something people do unconsciously, and it’s often a sign of self-assurance.

Theories suggest that this particular hand position implies that a person is confident, knows what they’re talking about, and wants to project authority.

And if you think about it, that makes a lot of sense. In high-stakes environments like business meetings and political negotiations, people tend to use specific body language to reinforce their words. In Trump’s case, his hands might just be doing some of the talking for him.

Joe Navarro—a former FBI agent and the author of 'The Dictionary of Body Language'—weighed in on the subject. “This is not uncommon; Elon Musk does it, Angela Merkel did it—but they tend to put them very high, utterly confident," Navarro told The Guardian's Zoe Williams.

"Here you have the president’s, which is a modified steeple, where he loses its strength by pointing it downward,” he added.

Navarro also noted that Trump often makes this gesture when interacting with world leaders. A nearly identical image exists of him doing the same thing while sitting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Other aspects of Donald Trump’s body language

Donald Trump usually tries to dominate people with his body language. After all, this is the same guy who’s had some of the most awkward handshakes in history. In fact, there is another viral clip of him and French President Emmanuel Macron practically having a wrestling match with their handshake.

Navarro pointed this out: “We saw this in the first term, when he was shaking hands with [Shinzo Abe], the tight handshake, the pulling behaviors—Trump has some awkward exchanges with the Japanese prime minister.”

He added, “It reminds me of some of the garbage that was being peddled about establishing dominance in the 1980s. You’ll be superior if you squeeze tight, or if your hand is on top, or if you bring them closer to your chest. There is nothing either empirical or scientific that says that playing hand jiu-jitsu makes the other person respect you more. What it does do, particularly in cultures that are context-rich, it makes you look amateurish.”

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.