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Handshake analysis shapes public reading

A body language expert weighs in on the Trump Putin handshake in Alaska, noting a mix of confidence, deference and warmth but stressing that gestures are not policy.

August 16, 2025 at 09:06 AM
blur Expert breaks down Trump’s ‘subtle signal’ during ‘yank' handshake with Putin

A body language expert analyzes the handshake between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin during their Alaska meeting.

Handshake Between Trump Putin Sparks Body Language Debate

Trump and Putin met in Anchorage to discuss the war in Ukraine, but no breakthrough emerged. The talks focused on sanctions, economic leverage, and a potential minerals agreement, yet both sides left without a concrete plan. The scene carried heavy symbolism as Ukraine continues to endure the conflict.

Attention quickly turned to the handshake. A body language expert told Newsweek that the exchange combined deference, control and familiarity, with Trump showing a confident posture and a palm down gesture that can imply reach and reassurance. The expert noted that Trump shifted to a palm up gesture and later used a brief double handshake by patting Putin's arm, moves that can be read as displays of dominance or familiarity depending on the viewer. The overall takeaway, she said, is that the moment looked like two longtime figures negotiating more through gesture than policy, and that the two leaders exchanged warmth and eye contact that suggested a complex mix of respect and rivalry.

Key Takeaways

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Body language is read with bias as much as data
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Symbolic settings can shape perception more than facts
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Experts disagree on what gestures mean
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Public reaction can influence future diplomacy
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Statements about sanctions lack specifics
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The meeting signals a desire for dialogue even amid conflict
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Policy progress is measured by steps not moments

"Economically severe. It will be very severe."

Trump on possible sanctions during the Alaska talks

"It's his natural smile, small and slightly downturned at the corners."

Patty Ann Wood describing Trump's expression

"Trump typically likes to have his hand on top, but here it appears he presented his palm up."

Wood on Trump’s grip during the handshake

"This looked like two old friends seeing each other after a long time."

Wood on the mood of the meeting

Taken together, the analysis of a single handshake exposes a broader tension in modern diplomacy. Gesture stories can shape public expectations, especially when tied to high stakes politics. The Alaska setting amplifies the message because audiences expect drama when major powers meet. The risk is that audiences mistake a posture for a plan.

Editors should consider how much weight to give to body language in reporting. While it can offer clues, it can also mislead if not placed in context of official statements and policy steps. The moment matters for its optics not for a policy blueprint. The real work remains in proposals, verifications and follow ups that translate gestures into concrete actions.

Highlights

  • Power moves live in small acts
  • A handshake becomes a stage
  • Two leaders turn a moment into a message
  • Calm smiles can hide sharp signals

Diplomatic analysis risks misreading signals in tense talks

Interpreting body language as a proxy for policy can mislead audiences and distort expectations. In high stakes diplomacy gestures are part theater and part signal, and over-reading them risks creating false narratives about intent or commitment. This analysis acknowledges the debate but warns against treating a single moment as a policy blueprint.

Diplomacy moves on and off the stage; what counts is the follow through.

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