Is Donald Trump Intimidated By King Charles? Expert Exposes 'Timid' Body Language

Donald Trump appeared unusually 'timid' when he greeted King Charles in Washington on Monday, 27 April, with a body language expert claiming the US president's movements suggested he saw the monarch as the more important figure. The comments followed footage of Trump welcoming King Charles and Queen Camilla outside the White House at the start of the King's state visit to the United States.

The meeting on the South Lawn marked the public opening of a four day American tour for the King and Queen, including talks in Washington DC, a visit to New York's 9/11 memorial and community engagements in Virginia. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump hosted the royal couple at the White House before those engagements, in a carefully staged moment watched closely on both sides of the Atlantic.

Trump Looked 'Timid,' Analyst Says

The encounter has already been dissected frame by frame. Inbaal Honigman, a body language expert speaking to the Daily Star in collaboration with casino.org/us, said Trump's demeanour in front of King Charles looked strikingly different from his usual self.

'As President Trump welcomes King Charles to the United States, he displays body language never before seen during his presidency,' she said. In her reading, the man who likes to project strength suddenly appeared unusually deferential.

Honigman pointed first to the way Trump and Melania approached the King and Queen. She said their heads appeared slightly bowed and their pace slower than usual, while Trump's steps looked 'small, measured, careful', a sharp contrast with the swagger that often defines his public appearances.

His arms, usually in constant motion during public events, stayed still at his sides. For Honigman, that suggested nerves rather than dominance. 'Those small steps, paired with his motionless arms by his sides, reveal a timid Trump, keen to make a good impression,' she argued. 'He feels like King Charles is more important than him, a sentiment Trump very rarely expresses.'

Body language analysis is inherently subjective, and Trump has not commented on what he was thinking or feeling during the greeting. Even so, the contrast with his usual rally stage confidence is clear enough to have fuelled the debate.

Honigman did not suggest Trump stayed in that mode for long. She argued that the moment he saw King Charles step from the car, he moved quickly to reassert himself.

'The moment that Trump spots the King emerge from the vehicle, he steps forward, his head lowered in humility,' she said. She added that he then thrust his arm out for a handshake while they were still some distance apart, as though keen to seize control of the moment.

In Honigman's reading, that move was part courtesy and part calculation. Trump was 'taking no chances', she said, and appeared determined to look every inch the world leader in the presence of monarchy.

Handshake and Status

If Trump seemed tentative on the approach, Honigman's view is that both men quickly settled into a more familiar contest over status once they met. She contrasted their posture and walk, saying King Charles appeared relaxed and at ease, while Trump looked more tightly wound.

'The men shake hands for a long time, their hands are strong and tight,' she said. 'Neither of them wants to break the handshake first, in case it's too soon, so they just remain bound for a few seconds, while Queen Camilla walks to join them.' In her interpretation, even that lingering handshake became a quiet display of power.

Another analyst might see nothing more than a slightly awkward formal greeting. Still, the handshake did appear to linger, with neither man looking especially eager to let go first.

Once the group turned to pose for photographs, Honigman said Trump's mood shifted noticeably. She described him as barely able to contain his excitement, with his shoulders swaying and his expression tightening into what she called a smug smile.

'The President views this visit as a little personal victory, and is quietly congratulating himself about it in his head,' she claimed. In that reading, whatever early deference Trump may have shown was quickly recast as a win for his own image.

As the group turned to head inside, one final gesture caught her attention. Trump placed a hand over King Charles's shoulder, which she interpreted as both welcoming and possessive.

'He is delighted to show off his new bestie to the world's leadership and media,' she said. Her suggestion was that Trump was trying to signal warmth while also laying subtle claim to the relationship.

None of these claims about Trump's inner thoughts can be independently verified, and Honigman's reading should be treated as informed opinion rather than established fact. What can be confirmed is that the Washington meeting opened a high profile state visit for King Charles and Queen Camilla, scheduled from 27 to 30 April.

After talks with Trump in Washington, the King and Queen are due to travel to New York for a visit to the 9/11 memorial before continuing on to Virginia for further engagements. Whatever the body language really meant, that first handshake has already become one of the most scrutinised moments of the trip.