Donald Trump and Elon Musk faced the media together on Tuesday, February 11. The press briefing was held at Oval Office where Trump allowed Musk to step forward and speak about the need to downsize the federal workforce via the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
During the media interaction, Trump and Musk talked about billions of dollars being wasted and abused in government spending. The Tesla CEO, who is leading DOGE, pointed out that although there are some good people in federal bureaucracy, it is important that they are held accountable.
What Do Experts Say About Donald Trumps’ Body Language?
President was seated on his chair while Musk stood on his right side the entire time. Commenting on this arrangement, Patti Wood, a body language expert, said that Musk’s standing “shows a certain level of power over Trump, who is sitting,” as per HuffPost.
Wood also noticed Musk’s casual attire, who opted for a T-shirt, coat and a cap during the official briefing. She said that Musk “doesn’t feel a need to dress up or honor Trump by wearing professional clothing.”
She mentioned that the arrangement was quite “awkward” for Trump as he had to repeatedly turn around to interact with Musk, who was slightly behind him. “You can see Trump’s stress by the way he holds his own hand,” she added.
However, Karen Donaldson, another body language expert, has interpreted it differently. As Trump remained seated while letting Musk to take the floor, Karen believes Trump has “trust and respect” for the billionaire and he doesn’t need to “pronounce his authority or position” over Musk.
Psychologist and author Denise M. Dudley feels that it showed Trump in a more dominant position as he used his special employee to do the talking for him. She also noticed Trump’s random nodding which suggests that he was “fake listening”. She even said that the president had “vague, fixed” facial expression while Musk was speaking.
Elon Musk Brought His 4-Year-Old Son At Press Briefing
Musk’s clothing wasn’t the only casual thing in the briefing. He also brought his 4-year-old son, X, who shared the frame with Musk and Trump during the entire time. While Musk was talking, his son switched places and even picked his nose while standing next to Trump. The president briefly looked at him before turning his attention to what Musk was saying.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 11, 2025
While some praised Musk for being a doting father, others criticized him for using his son as a “prop”. Even the child’s mother and Musk’s ex-girlfriend, Grimes, called out Musk for taking their son to Oval Office without her knowledge. When an X user said that X was “very polite” during the briefing, Grimes said, ““He should not be in public like this. I did not see this, thank u for alerting me. But I’m glad he was polite.”
He should not be in public like this. I did not see this, thank u for alerting me. But I’m glad he was polite. Sigh
— 𝖦𝗋𝗂𝗆𝖾𝗌 ⏳ (@Grimezsz) February 12, 2025
Trump, didn’t mind the presence of the kid, and at one point, he introduced him saying, “this is X, and he’s a great guy. High IQ.”
While the body language experts have different interpretations of the press conference, it appeared as if both Trump and Musk share mutual respect towards each other, and are driven to collectively work for a common mission.
