A psychotherapist has analyzed President Donald Trump's recent speech at the World Economic Forum, highlighting how his body language revealed a strong, dominating presence in a setting that typically values cooperation.
Speaking to world leaders and financial figures in Davos, Switzerland, Trump addressed topics ranging from his ambitions to acquire Greenland for the U.S. to America’s relationships with China and NATO. However, according to Shelly Dar, a mental health therapist with over 15 years of experience, it was his body language and delivery that were most telling.
Dar noted, “What stands out from Trump is how rigidly controlled his presentation is. For the first 95 minutes, we mostly saw him from the elbows up. Both hands were anchored to the podium, and his posture was stiff. Hiding two-thirds of his body limits the behavioral information available to the audience.”
She added that this concealment is intentional: “Lower body movements often signal anxiety or self-regulation, and by staying behind the podium, those signals are effectively concealed. Psychologically, this creates containment, reduces emotional leakage, and reinforces authority. He appears immovable rather than expressive.”
The analysis became even more revealing when Trump eventually stepped away from the lectern. “Only then do we see his full body, and the dynamic changes,” Dar explained. “He visibly exhales, his pace loosens, and his pitch varies. He reverts to his familiar behaviors boastfulness, anecdotes, exaggeration which suggests that his confidence is stronger when improvising than when reading prepared remarks. He doesn’t like relying on an autocue.”
Dar interprets this as part of Trump’s broader communication strategy: “Overall, his approach prioritizes dominance over dialogue. He emphasizes certainty over nuance, and his narrative is controlled through assertion rather than persuasion.”
She highlighted how this style contrasts with the typical Davos environment: “The forum emphasizes multilateralism, shared norms, and collaborative language. Trump’s approach is deliberate he expects the room to adapt to him rather than the other way around.”
According to Dar, this dominant personality style can be both an asset and a limitation. “For some, it conveys decisiveness and stability. For others, it can seem inflexible or unyielding. He isn’t trying to blend in; he is there to set the tone.”
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