Body Language Expert Tells Us Trump's Reaction To Elon Musk Time Cover Is Darker Than It Looks

Time Magazine has ruffled some feathers with its latest cover. The image depicts a figure sitting in the Oval Office at the desk of the president. But it's not Donald Trump behind the desk: it's none other than Elon Musk. Musk's heavy involvement with the government has drawn criticism, and many are asking who is really in control: Trump or Musk? The Time cover addresses the power struggle and questions Trump's authority by rubbing salt in the wound of his biggest insecurity.

During a meeting with the Japanese Prime Minister, Trump was questioned by reporters about the cover. When asked if he had a reaction, Trump simply replied, "No." A few seconds later, Trump quipped, "Is Time Magazine still in business? I didn't even know that." 

BREAKING: Donald Trump was just completely humiliated by reporters asking if he is upset that Elon Musk was sitting behind his desk in the latest Time Magazine cover. Trump would hate it if you made this go viral. pic.twitter.com/pLTdNeqPqI

— Really American 🇺🇸 (@ReallyAmerican1) February 7, 2025

The List exclusively spoke with Traci Brown, CSP, a body language expert and behavior analyst, and Brown shared with us that Trump was certainly feeling more than he led on with his brief response. "What we're seeing from Trump is contempt and disappointment. His mouth goes momentarily crooked — that's the contempt — and he pulls that same corner back. That's disappointment," Brown explained. She added that Trump, "covers up those emotions with an insult," which is a standard practice for the President who often can't hold back his insecurities when insulted. Surprisingly, Brown assured The List that Trump exhibited "no body language that indicates jealousy" against Musk.

Donald Trump and Elon Musk have established what appears to be a tight friendship where Trump finally receives the love that he's been lacking in his marriage. But this Time magazine cover could throw a wrench into their bond. The cover story is entitled, "Inside Elon Musk's War on Washington" and details how Donald Trump has allowed Musk to have growing influence on political decisions, to the dismay of many. Trump's icy response to the cover photo could be a sign that Trump and Musk's bromance is going down in flames quicker than we thought.

TIME's new cover: Inside Elon Musk's war on Washington https://t.co/95Qictx4zP pic.twitter.com/QZ73CZqtnM

— TIME (@TIME) February 7, 2025

This isn't the first time Trump's body language illustrated how he was feeling. During a January 2025 encounter with California Governor Gavin Newsom, Trump attempted to assert his dominance with a power-establishing handshake. This competition between politicians didn't come as a surprise since Trump and Newsom frequently don't see eye to eye. But Newsom didn't take the bait. "We know that Trump does the 'yank and grab' handshake. That's to show that he's in control," body language expert Traci Brown told The List. "But Newsom jumps in the game and yanks back, letting Trump know he's not going to back down and is a force to deal with on Trump's level." Brown emphasized how the handshake was a sign that Newsom won't yield to Trump's power grab, and perhaps Washington won't yield to Musk's power grab either.