Pam Bondi’s demeanor during Monday’s White House press conference has drawn attention after a body language expert suggested she appeared sad and fatigued. The event, led by U.S. President Donald Trump, focused on new measures to combat organized drug crime in Washington, D.C., including the deployment of U.S. National Guard troops.
Bondi, 59, stood alongside Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and FBI Director Kash Patel as the administration unveiled two executive orders aimed at dismantling criminal networks and addressing the fentanyl crisis. This synthetic opioid, classified as a Schedule II substance, is the leading cause of opioid-related overdose deaths in the United States each year.
Body language expert Judi James told the Irish Star she noticed a distinct difference between Bondi’s stance and that of the men sharing the stage. “While Hegseth adopts a more bullish, confrontational pose… arms dropped to his sides and his beady-eye stare suggesting he’s keen to take on the task of cleaning up Washington single-handedly, Bondi adopts a more passive pose at Trump’s other side,” she explained.
According to James, Bondi stood with “her hands clasped demurely in front of her torso” and maintained “a darting eye-gaze with a sadder-looking eye expression.”
Despite her subdued appearance, James noted that Bondi displayed signs of engagement and support for Trump throughout his remarks. “Her cheekbones appear rounded in a righteous-looking smile,” James observed, adding that Bondi “supplies the nods to Trump’s comments while Trump turns to look at her for agreement several times during his speech.”
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She said Bondi’s expression of sadness seemed to align with the president’s more personal tone during his “rather touching pre-amble,” in which he spoke of protecting monuments such as statues of Abraham Lincoln. In this way, Bondi’s demeanor, James suggested, not only mirror but also complimented Trump’s.
James also identified indicators that Bondi might have been physically tired during the event. “If there are what look like signs of tiredness from her it would come from her flickering eye-gaze, some longer blinks and a couple of big swallows,” she explained.
The early timing of the press conference, combined with the nature of standing still for long periods under stage conditions, may have contributed to that impression. She stressed that appearances can be shaped by environmental and situational factors as much as by emotion.
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The analyst wrapped her assessment by pointing to the length and pacing of Trump’s speech. “It might be relevant though that Trump’s entire speech is quite long and at times taken at a rambling pace,” James said, adding that the president’s “warm, affectionate mood” and his remarks about the room being “fuller than ever before” could have created a challenging environment for those on stage.
With the heat, crowd size, and lengthy proceedings, James suggested it would be difficult for any person to remain completely still without revealing signs of fatigue or shifting body language in response to the conditions.
Did you hear what President Trump said?
As President Trump called upon Pam Bondi, he said “People are going to start to see the Fruits of her Labor.”
I told you… it’s all leading to something MASSIVE. Trust who President Trump put in place.https://t.co/RgrqPJFBCD https://t.co/Ppt0QVppPF pic.twitter.com/ZXkqmBoQPu
— MJTruthUltra (@MJTruthUltra) August 11, 2025
Bondi’s tired appearance was not missed by netizens as one user on X posted, “What is Bondi on? She is really spaced.” Another one added, “Pam Bondi looks sad or exhausted.” A third user joined, saying, “What’s up with Pam Bondi’s face right now?”
