Millions of people watched as Donald Trump was sworn into office during the inauguration ceremony. They also watched as he got an air kiss from his wife, and there were plenty of questions.
Donald Trump spoke about his plans for being the 47th president of the United States as he spoke inside the US Capitol building. It was his second inauguration ceremony but there was something that happened before the ceremony that had people talking.
Prior to heading to the capital, he and his first wife, Melania were at a church service. This is the beginning of the inauguration as it is traditionally held.
Prior to entering the chamber, Trump seemed to try to give his wife a kiss as they shared what appeared to be a touching moment together. Melania, who was wearing a large hat, seemed as if she snubbed her husband and turned her face to get a kiss on the cheek.
Many have wondered why this happened but body language expert, Judi James is here to help us understand. James said that Trump was entering the event with a ‘slow alpha presence’. He had a ‘mouth shrug smile to suggest a sombre, serious approach to the job.’
As he looked at his wife, he tenderly took her in hand in what was described as a ‘romantic, hand-linking gesture that would normally be seen at a wedding ceremony’.
James continued: “He then leant in to plant a kiss on his wife and for a moment it looked as though he was going for a lip-to-lip kiss.
“Melania leant towards her husband to reciprocate but she also turned her face to instigate a cheek kiss rather than the mouth variety.”
James said that it was a heart-stopping moment and seemed as if their synchronicity might be out of kilter. In the end, he settled for an air kiss.
James continued, saying that their lips never made contact but they did make a small ‘mwa’ with their mouths. The gap that separated them was ‘small enough to provide the appearance of contact’.
She feels that the first lady was happy with what happened, saying: “Melania beamed at her husband for the moment of not just acknowledgment, thanks and recognition but the signal of her being a priority and them being more of a team in the White House.”
Another body language expert, Darren Stanton, commented on her dress choice. He said that she selected a ‘very statement look with the big fedora’ which may have been to ‘hide her face if she wants to’.
Also, blue typically signifies the Democrat party so wearing a navy blue outfit was a ‘strange’ choice.
During the inauguration, Stanton noted that they had little or no emotion and there was no hand holding. He continued: “[I]t almost looks quite a solemn occasion, if we were to judge by their facial expressions. There’s no eye contact, no smiles, no emotion between the two of them.
“She gives off the sense she doesn’t want to be there, with no micro-expressions of happiness from Melania, it was quite a strange entrance.”
Of course, we will never know the full extent of what took place but one thing is certain, it is going to be a wild four years.
