by WorldTribune Staff, July 7, 2017
The major media in the U.S. has been body-slammed again.
This time, Britain’s The Sun Online beat the U.S. outlets to the punch by enlisting a body language expert to analyze the much-anticipated initial face-to-face meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Body language expert Judi James said Trump “nailed” the historic first handshake with Putin and proved his superior status with a double-handed fist-pump at the G20 in Hamburg, Germany, the Sun report said.
“If this shake were a prize fight, and it nearly was, I would have awarded a points victory to Trump,” James said.
She added: “The gap was a sure sign of the pressure felt by both men at that moment but as Putin raised an almost wary-looking hand for the shake Trump leaned forward with an outstretched arm and offered his hand palm-up.
“This is an infamous power-trap and Putin had no option but to put his hand into the clamp.
“Once there he suffered an underarm-patting from Trump that made him look like the dominant leader, so much so that Putin responded with a pointed finger, which is the body language equivalent of drawing a weapon.
“Trump looked far more at ease here and the pose ended with Putin standing with his hands folded on the table while Trump continued to lean across the gap and pat him on the back.
“If Trump wanted to show friendliness but superior status I have to say he nailed it this time.”
James said the Putin is the one used to be on the dominating side, making the Trump defeat even tougher to take.
“Putin is an adept power-patter, adding a paternal pat to his shakes with world leaders in a bid to register dominance.
“He also uses disarming humor as he did with Merkel, getting her to laugh with him as they shook to suggest strong rapport.
“With Trump though the huge spatial gap between the two men played to the U.S. president’s advantage.”
The Sun noted that the “friendly tone of the meeting was in stark contrast to last year’s G20 summit in Hangzhou, China where then-President Barack Obama gave the Kremlin strongman an icy glare.”
During this year’s G20 in Hamburg, Trump and Putin are expected to discuss the Syrian conflict, North Korea and Russia’s annexation of Crimea.
Both men have said they want to try and repair relations between Russia and American which Trump recently described as being at an “all time low.”
During his speech in Warsaw, Trump said Russia should “cease its destabilizing activities in Ukraine and elsewhere, and its support for hostile regimes including Syria and Iran.”
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