Body Language Expert Says Trump's Viral Handshake Moment With Kamala Harris Revealed Hidden Agenda
As Americans dissect the dynamic between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris during their first debate, it's pretty clear that there was a power struggle between the two candidates. Speaking to The List, Body Language Expert and Behavior Analyst Traci Brown, CSP, analyzed the viral handshake moment, which hinted that Donald Trump's confidence had crumbled since the Joe Biden bloodbath and revealed his hidden agenda.
Brown pointed to the candidates' first moments on stage, citing Trump's reluctance to shake his Democratic opponent: "[Kamala Harris] walked on more quickly than him and was trying to look him in the eye. He wouldn't return that look." Impressively, Harris wasn't deterred and even walked into his territory to insist on a handshake, establishing dominance. The body language expert also exposed Trump's unwillingness to shake Harris as a part of a "planned strategy" to avoid engaging her emotionally.
Kamala Harris just owned Trump.
It started with a handshake and ended with Trump getting his ass handed to him.#Debate2024pic.twitter.com/ulzi3Wd5Fh
— Ted Corcoran (RedTRaccoon) (@RedTRaccoon) September 11, 2024
"His behavior of avoiding her and failing to engage lasted through the night. He rarely looked at her, preferring to focus on the moderators the vast majority of the time." However, Brown believes Harris' refusal to be deterred gave her an upper hand and the "opportunity to set the tone."
Trump's tight smile at the debate showed Harris's attacks hit home
Donald Trump's avoidance of emotional connection wasn't the only thing that was obvious during his debate with Kamala Harris. Traci Brown revealed that his body language suggests that the VP's jabs were more effective than he tried to let on. "When [Trump] got stressed, he had tight or disappearing lips or his trademark pucker," Brown revealed. It also didn't help that he made it really clear that he was more than desperate for Joe Biden during the debate.
Unfortunately for the former president, his opponent repeatedly made sure to hit him where it hurt. In one instance, Harris shot at Trump's beloved rally crowd fixation. The GOP politician struggled to keep a straight face while she criticized him for speaking to crowds about hoaxes and "fictional characters like Hannibal Lecter." But the facade fell apart after Harris claimed that people leave his rallies early out of "exhaustion and boredom." Donald Trump was visibly upset, shaking his head with his lips thin as he widened his eyes.
Honey, Kamala cooked when she told people to go to trump rallies because people leave early after hearing trump rant about fictional characters like Hannibal Lecter and not the American people.
Whew. 💅🏽 pic.twitter.com/SALhDCM5b1
— Renee 🪷 (@PettyLupone) September 11, 2024
Harris, on the other hand, was more open with her assessment of her opponent. When the MAGA leader mentioned the unproven cases of immigrants eating residents' pets in Springfield, Ohio, her facial reactions were so transparently amused that they went viral. Kamala Harris not only seemed more confident in expressing herself but also proved that being transparent is not a weakness.