President Donald Trump's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea on Thursday generated more than just headlines about tariff negotiations - it sparked a detailed analysis of the leaders' body language and what it revealed about their power dynamics.
The Power Position and Initial Moves
According to body language experts, Trump strategically positioned himself on the left during photo opportunities, a coveted "power position" that gives him the visual upper hand in images. Traci Brown, a body language expert and behavior analyst, confirmed that politicians actively compete for this advantageous placement.
However, Trump displayed an unexpected move during the initial handshake that caught experts' attention. Patti Wood, a body language and nonverbal communication expert, noted that while Trump initiated the handshake - typically demonstrating power - his palm-up positioning suggested something different. "Typically that's not his style, because that's supplication: 'I have less power, I am palms up, I am less powerful,'" Wood explained.
Dominance Signals and Control Tactics
As the interaction progressed, Trump employed familiar power moves that characterize his diplomatic style. Experts observed him pulling Xi closer, patting his back, and maintaining control over when the handshake began and ended. Brown noted that the back-patting gesture could signify control, suggesting Trump could potentially move Xi around if desired.
Wood highlighted the unusual nature of Trump's handshake technique: "Trump does something he often does, he pulls [Xi's] hand over in front of his body. So he's taking a dominant action to pull rather than stop and do a normal handshake." She added that the prolonged handholding became particularly noticeable, diverging from standard diplomatic protocols where handshakes typically last three to five pumps.
Cultural Rituals and Power Struggles
The analysis revealed that Trump's approach fundamentally contradicted the traditional purpose of handshakes in diplomatic settings. Wood explained that handshakes historically demonstrate that neither party holds weapons and symbolize equality between meeting parties. "What Trump is signaling is the antithesis of the normal handshake, which is equality," Wood stated.
Experts observed that Xi displayed clear signals of wanting the handshake to end, leaning slightly away and orienting toward journalists while Trump continued holding on. This created what Wood described as a "battle hold" rather than a ceremonial greeting.
The Unexpected Conclusion
Despite Trump's dominant opening, the meeting concluded with less powerful signals. Wood noted that Trump whispered in Xi's ear during their final handshake, creating an appearance of shared secrets between the leaders. More notably, Trump appeared to lose his sense of direction after the negotiations, eventually asking for guidance and walking Xi to his car.
This departure from protocol stood out to experts. "Usually, they will come down to that neutral point at the bottom of the stairs and go their separate ways," Wood explained. "It's odd because it would symbolically show less power by Trump."
The contrast between Trump's powerful opening and less dominant closing illustrates what experts call the recency effect - where final impressions carry significant weight in overall perception. Despite considerable effort to project power during the initial greeting, the concluding moments may have undermined that message.
The October 30, 2025 meeting in Busan, South Korea, provided rich material for body language analysts, demonstrating how nonverbal communication can speak volumes in high-stakes diplomatic encounters between world leaders.
