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1/ THREAD: Body Language Analysis No. 4447: Trump confronted by Paula Reid at Bedminster Presser regarding 'Veteran's Choice' — Nonverbal and Emotional Intelligence #BodyLanguage #BodyLanguageExpert #EmotionalIntelligence #DonaldTrump #PaulaReid #VeteransChoice https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1292203112711806987
2/ Earlier today, at Trump's Bedminster Country Club, Donald Trump was asked about the Veterans Choice Act — for which Trump has taken credit and about which he's repeatedly lied.
3/ The Veteran's Choice Act allows veterans to use their government health benefits at medical providers other than Veterans Administration hospitals. It was passed in 2014 during the Obama Administration.
4/ After refusing to answer Paula Reid's question, Trump abruptly ended the Press Conference.
What follows is a nonverbal and paralanguage analysis of that exchange.
What follows is a nonverbal and paralanguage analysis of that exchange.
5/
PAULA REID: Mr. President —
DONALD TRUMP: [overtalking] No, no — you're finished. Go ahead, please.
PAULA REID: — why do you keep saying you passed Veteran's Choice?
PAULA REID: Mr. President —
DONALD TRUMP: [overtalking] No, no — you're finished. Go ahead, please.
PAULA REID: — why do you keep saying you passed Veteran's Choice?
6/ Just after Ms. Reid says, "Veteran's Choice", Trump displays an excellent example of a microexpression of contempt superimposed on an underlying/pre-existing layer of disgust. Look carefully at this segment of the video.
7/ This contempt microexpression resembles a snarling-twitch on the left side of Trump's midface (his left).
8/
DONALD TRUMP: [overtalking] Please.
BEDMINSTER CROWD: [applause]
PAULA REID: You — you said —
DONALD TRUMP: [overtalking] Please.
BEDMINSTER CROWD: [applause]
PAULA REID: You — you said —
9/ Just prior to Ms. Reid saying, "you said", Trump pulls his torso backward (signaling his repulsion for Ms. Reid). He has a second, longer-lasting (macroexpression) of contempt — again, overlying his disgust.
10/
DONALD TRUMP: [overtalking] Go ahead.
PAULA REID: — you passed, Veteran's Choice, and it passed in 2014.
DONALD TRUMP: [overtalking] Okay, excuse me.
PAULA REID: But it's a false statement, Sir.
DONALD TRUMP: [overtalking] Go ahead.
PAULA REID: — you passed, Veteran's Choice, and it passed in 2014.
DONALD TRUMP: [overtalking] Okay, excuse me.
PAULA REID: But it's a false statement, Sir.
11/ Just after Ms. Reid says, "But it's a false statement", Trump looks dramatically away from her whilst closing his eyes — both are forms of diminished eye contact. Trump is lying and he has just been called out for it.
12/ Trump is psychologically blocking/distancing himself from a confrontation and the truth.
13/ Trump then displays three rapid and profoundly dramatic examples of disgust — along with disdain and more repulsion.
14/ DONALD TRUMP: Okay, Thhhank, Thank you very much, everybody. Thank you very much.
15/ With the first drawn-out, "Okay, Thhhank", Trump displays an extreme microexpression of Disgust along with is known as a Tight Tongue Jut. The tight tongue jut signals the additional thought-emotions of disdain and repulsion.
16/ A split-second later, with the second "Thank you", Trump displays another Disgust microexpression with another Tight Tongue Jut.
17/ And yet another, third, microexpression of Disgust with another Tight Tongue Jut. This one is even more extreme than the two preceding displays.
18/ SUMMARY: Donald Trump lied today about the Veteran's Choice Act. When Paula Reid confronted him with his lie (her term was "false statement"), Trump's nonverbal and paralanguage behavior indicated he knew that he was lying.
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