As the "unrelenting pressure" mounts on former US President Donald Trump, he has lost his "smug smile" in a sign that the first trial of his four criminal cases has started to "take a toll", according to a body language expert.
The Republican spent another day in court as his hush money trial entered its third week of witness testimony. But body language expert Judi James has warned his mounting legal woes appear to be impacting the 77-year-old's "alpha" persona.
Judi examined Trump's body language from his 2016 election win and inauguration, through to the January 6 Capitol riots in 2021 up to the present day, as he sits in court in Manhattan for the hush money case. Speaking to The Mirror she explained how Trump was "at the top of his game" during his inauguration, but is now showing signs of "vulnerability and exhaustion."
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"The one enduring factor of Trump's body language is his alpha male profile," she explained. "This is a leadership style that relies on physical power and intimidation factors. This in turn means never showing signs of weakness because that means your opponents will try to seize the power away."
Looking back to his inauguration in January 2017, Judi noted: "During his inauguration, Trump was on top of his game in terms of those power signals. For him, his ego had found the perfect fit in terms of expectations and bestowed rank. His self-belief had been justified and this sense of achievement reflected in his status displays.
"As he delivers from the lectern there is some total symmetry about his pose. His arms are held out with the open palms turned towards his audience. He’s asking for their trust and he is offering an open embrace gesture that appears inclusive: join with me and we will dominate the world. His confidence signals are at a peak and as he salutes his electorate his curled smile looks smug."
There was a great deal of backlash from Trump after he was beaten by Joe Biden in the 2020 Presidential election, with the outspoken businessman turned politician claiming the election had been rigged. Prior to Joe Biden's inauguration on January 20, 2021, a group of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in the January 6 Capitol riots.
Looking at Trump's mannerisms during this time, Judi explained: "By 2021 he is in a much more active mode, with his wide open-mouth delivering a more passionate address to the voters. With one gloved hand raised, his brows puckered and his mouth opened in a stretched ‘o’ shape he appears to be beseeching his followers here."
The ex-President is currently dealing with numerous legal issues, including 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Trump is accused of misrepresenting the money paid to his former lawyer Michael Cohen in his company's records as legal fees. Prosecutors argue that by paying him income and providing extra for taxes, Trump's executives were able to hide the reimbursement.
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Despite Judi highlighting Trump's confidence earlier on in his political career, she noted that the subsequent years seem to have worn him down. She added: "In 2024 we can see a more beleaguered-looking alpha: a man trying hard to go through the motions of presenting as powerful and high status, but whose subtler non-verbal signals suggest vulnerability and even hints of exhaustion.
"The peacocking seems to have become less of a constant and in between moments of fist-punching and the very signature pouting of the lips around an open mouth, his facial expressions and his posture do suggest a man on whom the unrelenting pressure is taking its toll."
She claims a lot of his old confidence is gone. Looking at Trump's behaviour in court, and more recently at the Miami Grand Prix, she explained: "The baleful stare in the courtroom looks intended to intimidate in true alpha style but during more social moments at the Grand Prix he is looking distracted and rather pensive.
"His smile has lost its element of smug here and looks more like an applied mask that might be hiding stronger emotions that he is trying to supress. The ‘battle pose’ is still there when he holds his MAGA hat out and forms a fist with the other hand, but his smile as he is in listening mode looks much more wistful, promoting a look of Trump the martyr rather than Trump the global leader."