President Donald Trump and Melania Trump have successfully stayed out of the scrutinizing headlines about their marriage for a while, until their latest awkward incident last Friday. It must have been a nice break for them to not see speculations in the news, but a “hand” debacle they had on stage in Maryland was hard to ignore.
Last Friday, the president unabashedly ushered his wife off stage when she introduced him to the crowd at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. In the past, Donald Trump was more affectionate with his wife when she’d give a speech or introduction, but in Maryland he shook her hand in a moment that appeared somewhat uncomfortable for anyone watching. In the past, Melania Trump would get a kiss, or at least a loving touch from her husband. Extending a handshake to the first lady was a stark departure from Donald Trump’s usual body language with Melania. In addition to that, he directed her to go sit down before he began speaking.
AOL News interviewed body language expert Dr. Lillian Glass, who reveals that the mishap in Maryland “makes them look horrible” and it appears that “their marriage is in jeopardy.” Glass explains that Donald and Melania Trump “fuel gossip” when these types of situations arise. She notes that the couple come off as if “they’re just in it for the show” and Melania conducts herself as if she “can’t stand him.”
WATCH IT: Trump and first lady share awkward moment with handshake at military event https://t.co/NTcWmiNdNj pic.twitter.com/8VgyvmMGuK
— New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) September 16, 2017
Glass adds that the nature of the event and the formal greeting may have played a part in it all, and that the president hasn’t mastered appropriate military protocol in the pubic eye. Since Trump isn’t an experienced politician, he doesn’t know how to act or what to do because he doesn’t have a background with the military or foreign activities.
If Glass was asked to make a suggestion to Donald and Melania Trump, it would be that they get the guidance of a “chief of protocol,” which is someone who’d educate them on where to walk and what to do during public appearances. If the president and first lady don’t get the assistance they need to help them navigate the appropriate elements of public life, they’ll continue enduring scrutinizing “Free Melania” headlines. More of the same embarrassing moments will occur and be talked about. A perfect example of this was when Melania slapped Donald’s hand away in Israel on the tarmac earlier this year.
The body language expert says Donald and Melania Trump are “extraordinarily awkward and it looks very odd.”
[Featured Image by Win McNamee/Getty Images]