Trump v May NATO 2018: What THAT ‘emphatic hand gesture’ REALLY means – body language

Donald Trump and Theresa May were pictured together at the NATO summit in Brussels this afternoon.

The President of the United States, Donald Trump, posed for pictures with the UK Prime Minister, the pair both looking formal in the snaps.

While it all looked cordial from the outside, the unspoken body language has been decoded by Judi James.

She told Express.co.uk exclusively: “Perhaps it was Trump’s compliments about Boris Johnson that prompted this what looks like a new and more intense stage in his ‘special’ relationship with May, but although it would be fair to say that Trump and May have never looked closer as they do in some of these poses.

“In others there are hints the same kind of social and communication awkwardness that we have seen between them in the past.”

Trump and May body language decoded

Picture one:

The two leaders pose close together with their smiles of delight hinting at the same kind of relaxed and friendly bon-hommie that Trump has with Macron. His mouth smile and his emphatic hand signal gesture suggest the cheerfulness could be forced, though.

Trump’s smile looks over-played and rigid and that ‘thumbs-up’ gesture is one he often uses when posing for a snap with a fan. It’s more often about cursory, casual friendliness rather than something deeper and more meaningful.

May’s pose looks far more congruent here as she turns her torso slightly in towards the President and presents a mirrored beaming smile to suggest unity and like-minded thinking.

Picture two:

There’s an astounding air of playful joviality in this pose as Trump stretches one arm out with an open-palm hand as he appears to reference or to introduce Theresa May.

May stands smiling openly at him with what looks like a very authentic smile of pleasure and the way she holds her arms behind her back downplays her status in what looks like a bid to ingratiate in a friendly, fun way and create rapport.

Picture three:

The pair look deep in discussion here and Trump’s puckered brows and the way his eyes dart to the side suggests he remembering or imagining an event as he speaks.

The open mouth with pursed lips is a signature gesture of pleasure for the US President. May’s focus and her smile suggest the pleasure is mutual here.

Picture four:

But this is where we get a glimpse of some of the more traditional social awkwardness between the two leaders. While the performed bonds look tighter and more profound than ever and the desire for the two leaders to show unity and even friendship in public is obvious it is poses like this that underline the fact that they are very different personalities in reality.

Trump stands to attention here with his eyes closed and his mouth clamped shut in a down-turned shape as though taking a moment to himself.

The gap between the two has widened here and although May’s matching foot-splay puts her at an equal level with Trump in terms of power signals the way she’s clasped her hands low to her body and is staring straight ahead while others chat around them suggests the small-talk might have run out quite quickly.