Trump’s Body Language During Awkward Exchange With Jerome Powell Spoke Volumes, Experts Say

President Donald Trump’s visit to the Federal Reserve this week produced some awkward soundbites. But body language experts think there were several nonverbal moments between Trump and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell that spoke volumes.

Even though presidents rarely visit the politically independent central bank, Trump on Thursday toured the building, which is being renovated.

Trump and members of his administration have been publicly lambasting Powell for months over the Fed’s unwillingness to lower interest rates. The president has previously called on Powell to resign before his term ends in May 2026, and he’s referred to the Fed chair as a “numbskull.”

Furthermore, Trump had criticized the Fed’s renovation of two historic buildings prior to his visit on Thursday. His administration has accused Powell of mismanaging the project, with Trump calling the renovations “disgraceful,” The Associated Press reported.

On Thursday, Trump stood next to Powell at the construction site and told reporters that the cost of the renovations amounted to approximately $3.1 billion, saying it “went up a little bit — or a lot” while Powell shook his head in disagreement.

Trump then insisted his numbers were correct as he took out a piece of paper to confirm the costs. But when Powell saw the paper, he pointed out that the president was incorrectly factoring in the price of renovations on a third building that had been completed five years prior.

“Oh, you’re including the Martin renovation? You just added in a third building,” Powell said. “That’s a third building.”’

“Well, I know, but it’s a building that’s being built,” Trump responded.

“No. It was built five years ago,” Powell corrected him. “We finished Martin five years ago … It’s not new.”

Trump signaled to reporters following the tour that he would not be seeking to fire Powell, saying he didn’t think it would be “necessary” and that he believes the Fed chair is “going to do the right thing,” he said, per the AP.

But people online have still had a lot to say about the cringey tour. So we talked to body language experts, and they say there’s a lot more to take away from the president’s visit to the Federal Reserve on Thursday.

Powell’s body language said a lot during his back-and-forth with Trump over renovation costs. 

Patti Wood, a body language and nonverbal communication expert and author of “SNAP: Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language, and Charisma,” said that before Trump provided his $3.1 billion figure, Powell’s shoulders were drooping slightly, with his mouth in a “tight downward frown.”

“He knows something bad is coming,” she told HuffPost. She later noted that after Trump shared his estimate, Powell “immediately and dramatically” turned his head to Trump, gave him a “razor sharp glare of anger” and then rapidly shook his head “no.”

“This is fascinating, as very few people actually shake their heads [‘no’] when Trump makes a false statement, making what would typically be a rather innocuous back-and-forth head shake an indication of Powell’s personal confidence,” she said.

Wood also noted that while shaking his head, Powell closed his eyes for “longer than three seconds,” which she explained is called an “eye shutter.”

“Eye shutter is a subconscious nonverbal cue that someone gives when they want to block out information,” she said.

Karen Donaldson, a communication and body language expert, also noted that Powell had occasionally closed his eyes during that moment, and she said that gesture, coupled with shaking his head “no,” communicates disagreement or disapproval.

“There is another moment where Powell had a strong response… we see it when he pulls his head and neck area back and slightly faces Trump, a gesture that signals someone being caught off guard and quickly distancing themselves,” she told HuffPost.

She later added that both Powell and Trump at one point stopped facing each other and faced forward. “It displayed a bit of a standoff,” she said.

Trump removing his hard hat while Powell was speaking was telling, experts say. 

After Trump and Powell’s back-and-forth over the renovation costs, the president asked Powell if he expected any “additional cost overruns,” to which Powell replied: “Don’t expect them. We’re ready for them. We have a little bit of a reserve that we may use, but no, we don’t. Expect to be finished in 2027; we’re well along, as you can see.”

As Powell neared the end of his response, Trump removed his hard hat and said: “Nice to take these off every once in a while, when we’re not under too much danger.”

Traci Brown, an author and body language expert, told HuffPost that Trump was signaling at that moment that he was showing “he’s in charge.”

“Nothing has changed around him, but suddenly it’s safe,” she observed.

Wood said that she believes it was a signal that Trump was done interacting.

“He said his piece, and now he can take off his costume and be done,” she said. “It also serves as a way of directing attention away from Powell and back on himself, as it’s a large, sweeping motion.”

Donaldson noted that Trump redirected the conversation to his hard hat, and his body language at that moment might have signaled disinterest in what was being said.

And shortly after, when a reporter asked Trump what he would do as a real estate developer with a project manager who was over budget, the president said that, generally speaking, he’d “fire ’em.”

Brown noted that he dropped his tone at that moment, showing “authority.”

Here’s what experts say Trump communicated when he made physical contact with Powell. 

At one point during the visit, a reporter asked Trump whether there’s anything Powell could say that would make him walk back some of his previous criticism of the Fed chair.

The president hit Powell’s back in response and said in a comical tone: “Well, I’d love him to lower interest rates; other than that, what can I tell you?”

“He shouts this out as he turns to look at Powell, then hits him hard on his back,” Wood said about the moment. “That’s not just a subtle subconscious weapon-like gesture. Trump hits him in a punishing way.”

“This kind of force is highly unusual,” she added.

Donaldson thought the moment was a “mix between a playful touch and a control touch.”

“The playful touch accompanied with a laugh to break the tension. As well as a control touch to move Powell in the direction in which he wanted to walk,” she said.

Brown said that she believes that Trump “slaps Powell on the back under the guise of being old friends.”

“But a hit is a hit, and that shows anger,” she said. “And they move like they’re gonna walk off. This is Trump regulating Powell’s behavior. He’s showing that he can move Powell wherever he wants to.”

And when Trump again told reporters a minute or so later that he’d like to see interest rates come down, Brown said that Powell’s lips were pursed “in disagreement.”

While analyzing this moment, Wood added, Trump was standing in front of Powell, blocking him from the media.

“In the background, you see a sad face, diminished Powell,” she said.

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