Donald Trump makes use of 3 ‘unethical’ energy strikes to get his personal means

A body language expert has identified three specific tactics Donald Trump uses to assert dominance in public appearances – including his signature wide-legged stance, aggressive handshake technique, and distinctive ‘power pout’

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Tuesday marks one year since Donald Trump returned to the White House for his second term as President. The Republican, who is only the second President in US history to serve two non-consecutive terms, was re-elected in November 2024 and resumed his role in the Oval Office on January 20, 2025.

A body language expert has now revealed the three “unethical” tactics Trump employs to assert control over his allies and establish dominance over his adversaries. The expert, known as Do More Stuff on social media, detailed these strategies in a TikTok video, reports the Express.

Citing work by communications specialist Vanessa Van Edwards, he stated: “There is a secret psychological hack that Trump uses to mug everyone around him in every single public appearance, and most people completely miss it, but it’s literally hidden in plain sight, and once you see it, you can’t unsee it.”

The first tactic is what Van Edwards refers to as “the ultimate power pose combination.”

The expert explained: “When Trump sits, he doesn’t just sit normally like everyone else. He spreads his legs wide, he takes up maximum space, and he does this reverse steeple thing with his hands.

“This is basically his brain’s way of saying ‘I own this room’.”

The second strategy relates to handshakes. Describing this as “the kicker for maximum domination”, he went on: “Van Edwards identified handshakes as literal power negotiations, and Trump has mastered what she calls spatial control.

“He pulls people towards him during the handshakes. You’ve obviously all seen that, he violates everyone’s personal space boundaries and he holds the handshakes for longer than normal.

“And if you watch his hand positioning, he always tries to get his hand on top, which again is so immature, but Van Edwards says this is a classic vertical power display.”

The third technique is what the presenter dubbed “the power pout”. He explained: “Trump has this signature power move: when he hears something he doesn’t like, he purses his lips forward. It’s like he’s about to give someone a kiss.

“Here he’s basically signalling disapproval and rejection non-verbally. So, even before he speaks, his face is already telling you exactly how he feels.

“This can be perceived as a power play, because, instead of interrupting like he usually does, he can just sit there in the background with this face on, and, whether consciously or subconsciously, he’s mugging the other person in front of all of the audience.”

However, he pointed out that Van Edwards suggested this behaviour might equally signal discomfort, or what she termed “stress leakage”. “Basically, your body is betraying what you’re really thinking,” he explained.

“Lots of people have nervous twitches, some people fidget, some people scratch somewhere, Trump’s is the pout.”