'It's all to do with power': Body language expert unpacks Trump and Macron's awkward interaction at the White House

25 February 2025, 09:08 | Updated: 25 February 2025, 10:04

A body language expert has analysed the latest awkward interaction between the Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron.

The French leader met his US counterpart at the White House last night - on the third anniversary of Moscow's invasion.

During the visit, the pair shared a series of awkward attempted handshakes after tense talks over which countries will ensure Ukraine's future.

It comes ahead of Sir Keir Starmer's visit later this week..

Darren Stanton - dubbed the "human lie detector" - has now looked at their latest interaction which has gone viral and explained the thinking behind it to Nick Ferrari.

Mr Stanton said Trump employed one of his "bone-crusher" handshakes on Macron, which he says he uses to see how "pliable" people will be.

"One of the few politicians who was indeed briefed on this was Macron," he added.

"So we ended up seeing the two men having this effective 'tug of war' on the White House steps - so it's all to do with power".

"In one of the clips both men end up putting a hand on each other's shoulder - and this is again all about power and the assertions of power. And the optics of it."

During the interaction, Trump moves his hand over and squeezes his knee to which Macron responds by moving his hand over.

When quizzed by Ferrari on this awkward tussle, Mr Stanton says Trump is a "very tactile man".

Mr Stanton explains Macron was speaking of the money spent on Ukrainian investment.

"When Trump begins to talk and say the US aren't going to get their money back, Macron puts his hand over onto his hand, his arm.

"What that actually is really is the non verbal equivalent of saying 'Shut up I'm speaking'".

Mr Stanton believes Trump was annoyed after reading his micro-expressions as Macron continued to speak.

"What Trump is actually conveying is contempt.

"He's not happy the fact that Macron spoke over him."

"It's what we call in psychology a bilateral smile," he added.

"It's a one sided smile. And Trump tends to make this quite a lot when he's not happy."

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President Macron has said a peace deal with Moscow "must not mean a surrender of Ukraine".

The transatlantic alliance on the conflict has been shaken in recent weeks by the President's comments on Ukraine and attempts to secure a deal with Russia over Ukraine's head.

Speaking from the White House about security guarantees alongside Mr Macron, the US President said: "Europe is going to make sure nothing happens.

"Earlier on, Mr Trump had said Mr Putin "will accept" peacekeepers. Sir Keir has previously said he would be willing to put British troops on the ground as part of security guarantees that could end the war.

Addressing reporters alongside Mr Macron, Mr Trump said of the Russian president's reaction to peacekeepers in Ukraine: "Yeah, he will accept it."

I have asked him that question. Look, if we do this deal, he's not looking for world war."

Earlier this month, Sir Keir wrote in The Daily Telegraph that the UK was "ready to play a leading role" in Ukraine's defence and security.

"It also means being ready and willing to contribute to security guarantees to Ukraine by putting our own troops on the ground if necessary," he said.

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"I do not say that lightly. I feel very deeply the responsibility that comes with potentially putting British servicemen and women in harm's way".

Russian officials have previously said that Moscow will not allow Nato or European troops to be deployed to Ukraine as peacekeepers.

Mr Trump also expressed hope that Volodymyr Zelensky could come to the US to sign a deal to give the US access to Ukraine's critical minerals in the coming weeks.

Sir Keir has been urged to follow Mr Macron and be "firm and robust" with Mr Trump after the French leader appeared to correct the US President on an assertion about European aid to Kyiv.

Sir Keir avoided directly criticising the US leader last week after he called Mr Zelensky a "dictator", but did back the president in a call in which he called him the "democratically elected leader" of Ukraine.