Body language experts have analyzed U.S. President Donald Trump’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House.
The pair met Monday to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine after Trump failed to secure a ceasefire deal with Russia’s Vladimir Putin at an Alaska summit last week.
Zelenskyy was joined by several European leaders, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Highlights
- An expert says Trump’s comments on Zelenskyy’s suit were a power play to assert dominance during their White House meeting.
- Zelenskyy tried to make himself appear larger, while Trump used body language to pull him closer and show control.
- Trump’s patting and guiding of Zelenskyy was seen as patronizing, implying Zelenskyy was not his equal.
- Zelenskyy subtly shifted legs when Trump claimed ‘substantial progress,’ revealing possible disagreement.
- Despite tensions, Zelenskyy’s witty suit comment led to a rare genuine laugh from Trump, showing moments of warmth.
Body language experts analyzed the White House meeting
Image credits: The White House
The meeting went significantly better than Zelenskyy’s last trip to the Oval Office in February, when he was berated for not wearing a suit and for appearing ungrateful.
The Ukrainian leader changed his tactics this time around and showed up in more formal attire—a black suit with no tie.
It was something that Trump immediately commented on, and although he was evidently pleased, body language experts say comments on Zelenskyy’s suit were a power grab.
Dr. John Paul Garrison, a clinical and forensic psychologist who decodes body language, said that when Trump greeted Zelenskyy outside the White House, it was all about dominance.
Image credits: The White House
“That’s a power play, to comment on what someone is wearing and say, ‘Hey, you’re dressed more appropriately.’”
After exiting the car, Zelenskyy greeted Trump and then moved slightly to the side for a photograph.
“Look at the difference in body language,” Garrison said. “President Trump has his arms slack whereas President Zelenskyy has his arms out a little bit—he is trying to make his presence a little bit larger, he is trying to be powerful.”
“You also notice that President Trump puts his arm on his shoulder and tries to bring him back in, but watch what happens next, President Zelenskyy resists moving closer to him.”
“We are seeing direct conflict in body language.”
Experts also pointed to another notable moment while Trump was outside waiting for Zelenskyy.
Image credits: The White House
As the car pulled up, Trump pumped his fist into the air.
“It starts out with Trump giving his power fist,” Traci Brown, an author and body language expert, told HuffPost.
“He’s planning on being in full control. He’s very cordial to Zelenskyy, complimenting his suit but sticking his hands way too close into Zelenskyy’s space, with his palm almost under his chin. This is a sign of control.”
As Trump and Zelenskyy headed inside the White House, Trump touched Zelenskyy’s back and ushered him inside.
“What the body language says to me as President Trump pats him on the back, the way he leads him in, to me this seems more like you are my guest right now rather than my equal,” Garrison said.
Those gestures—the patting on the back and trying to pull Zelenskyy closer—have similarly been described as condescending.
Some of Trump’s gestures towards Zelenskyy were seen as condescending
Image credits: The White House
Denise M. Dudley, a psychologist and author, told HuffPost that Trump was minimizing Zelenskyy’s actions.
“Trump is manhandling the president of a country. He’s got a hold of him and is doing these really minimizing actions with Zelenskyy,” she said.
“He’s putting his hand on top of his shoulder. He’s putting his arm around him in a very patronizing way, as if to say, ‘You’re not on my level. I can usher you in like you’re my date to the prom.’ He’s not treating him like an equal.”
Inside the Oval Office, the two leaders were joined by members of Trump’s administration and the media.
At one point, Trump said he believed “very substantial progress was being made.” Towards the end of that statement, Zelenskyy subtly shifted both of his legs back.
Image credits: The White House
According to Garrison, that slight shift was indicative of Zelenskyy gaining distance, as he either did not like the statement or did not agree with it.
Other gestures in that meeting included Trump making the hand steeple, which is when fingertips are brought together to create a triangular shape.
“He’s doing what we call steepling,” Garrison said. “Now, we do this when we are the expert or the powerful person in the room.”
“If you pay attention to the hands you’ll notice that President Trump tends to tap his steeple a little bit, whereas President Zelenskyy is struggling to sit still, you see him moving his hands around a little bit more. I think he’s got a lot more anxious energy.”
However, experts say there were also positive interactions between Trump and Zelenskyy throughout that meeting, as well as neutral or conciliatory gestures.
One came after a comment Zelenskyy made to reporter Brian Glenn, who previously attacked Zelenskyy over not wearing a suit.
“President Zelenskyy, you look fabulous in that suit,” Glenn noted. “You look good.”
The Ukrainian president replied: “You are in the same suit. I changed, you have not.”
“I will say, it looks like Trump genuinely laughs,” Dudley said. “I think he actually laughed at a comment about the suit. Generally, Trump is not somebody who genuinely laughs—he’s usually so singularly focused on putting on the Trump show. But here, with Zelenskyy, he let out a real laugh. I think that’s interesting.”