Body language expert breaks down how Donald Trump 'asserted his power' during NATO summit
A body language expert has broken down how President Donald Trump 'asserted his power' during the NATO summit, which was held this week in The Netherlands.
On Tuesday (June 24), Trump was joined by other world leaders at The Hague in The Netherlands.
In what has been described as a 'historic' meeting by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the leaders could also be seen standing for a photograph alongside King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, before enjoying a formal dinner.
According to one body language expert, Trump was 'asserting his authority' when he arrived at the meeting.
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Speaking on behalf of Genting Casino, body language expert Darren Stanton has explained how Trump was 'marking his territory'.
He said: "As Trump exited his car, he looked almost like a cowboy entering a saloon. His feet were spread apart and his hands were on his hips, almost making himself look as big as possible."
Stanton went on: "He was asserting his authority and marking his territory from the outset. It was an assertion of power."
He also explained that Trump was 'genuinely' happy to greet King Willem-Alexander.
“When they first met, Trump had a really genuine smile. You could see this from the crow’s feet and laugh lines at the side of his face," he continued.
"The Dutch King was similarly happy, showing a genuine smile as well. However, his other gestures seemed to suggest that he was slightly apprehensive. You could see his hands placed across his abdomen, which is a subconscious gesture we make when we’re nervous.
“The photo of Trump, the King, and Queen Maxima shows the Queen to be the more dominant of the two Dutch royals.
"The King can be seen looking ahead with the same self-soothing gesture, covering his abdomen, but the Queen is turned directly to Trump and mirroring his gestures - almost trying to assert her own dominance."
Elsewhere, people have been busy dissecting images from the summit, with many claiming that Trump used a 'body double'.
One person on Twitter claimed that a 'mini Trump' had been sent to The Hague, instead of the president, referring to the fact that Trump appears shorter in the photos from the event.
"That... that is not Trump," one person wrote.
While another said: "When I saw a video from earlier today I was wondering why he was so much shorter."
And a third added: "Obviously not the real one. Not tall enough. Loved the people noting he’s in multiple places at once."
Meanwhile, one user called it 'creepy'.
Others were skeptical of the claims, as many pointed out that Trump seemed to look shorter because he was standing next to tall men.
"I think he just looks short here because the King of the Netherlands is 6'5. Let's not get carried away," said one.
UNILAD has reached out to The White House for comment.
Topics: Donald Trump, Politics, US News, World News
Lucy Devine