Sir Keir Starmer was left ‘grovelling’ ‘like a dog wagging its tail’ at Donald Trump‘s feet during a chaotic press conference at the G7 summit in Canada, says leading body language expert.
Donald Trump accidentally dropped the historic US-UK trade deal while announcing it had officially been signed after holding crunch talks with the PM.
Starmer immediately bent down to retrieve them, while Trump stood above him still holding the open binder.
Body language expert Judi James said the moment, which was captured by cameras from around the world, created an image that could prove hard to shake.
‘There was an element of visual and verbal farce that might have robbed Starmer of his great moment of trumpeted victory,’ James told MailOnline.
‘The visual moment was Trump standing holding the open folder while Starmer groveled on the ground at his feet, picking up the papers – probably visualising the GIF being created as he did so.’
James said Starmer, initially composed and self-assured, tried to style out the moment with humour, but the power dynamic was already in play.
‘Starmer pulled the two sides of his jacket together across his torso as though just hot from closing that deal – a classic self-congratulatory gesture – before clasping his hands together,’ she explained.
‘But then came the drop. He bundled the papers back into Trump’s folder with a projectile laugh, trying to brush it off by insisting, ‘It’s a very important document.’
Sir Keir Starmer was left ‘grovelling’ ‘like a dog wagging its tail’ at Donald Trump’s feet during a chaotic press conference at the G7 summit in Canada, says leading body language expert
Donald Trump accidentally dropped the historic US-UK trade deal while announcing it had officially been signed after holding crunch talks with the PM
She added: ‘Trump’s proffered shake with Starmer looked like a close range, meaty bone-crusher with Trump’s hand pushing downward diagonally in a gesture that he would see as solid, firm agreement.
‘When Starmer spoke he held both hands out in front with the thumbs cocked to suggest pleasure and confidence, like a dog wagging its tail.’
Throughout the press conference, James said Trump dominated with his signature mix of brash confidence and unscripted remarks, leaving Starmer playing second fiddle.
‘It was The Trump Show,’ James said, ‘Starmer stood beside him while Trump was quizzed about world issues.
‘Starmer kept a genial eye smile with crinkling at the corners, his closed lips undulating and puckering gently, or licking them as though forming words in his mind – waiting for his moment, which rarely came.’
Trump mistakenly claimed the deal was with ‘the European Union,’ rather than the UK, causing Starmer’s demeanour to visibly dip.
‘Starmer’s face, eyes and mood seemed to wilt and drop slightly beside him,’ said James. ‘It was a moment of clear dismay, despite the effort to maintain composure.’
She added: ‘Trump’s proffered shake with Starmer looked like a close range, meaty bone-crusher with Trump’s hand pushing downward diagonally in a gesture that he would see as solid, firm agreement’
James noted that Starmer gave ‘small nods of agreement’ when Trump criticised Joe Biden’s handling of Russia and when discussing Iran’s nuclear programme
James pointed to a number of moments that underscored the uneven dynamic between the two leaders.
‘When Trump pointed to Starmer while referring to ‘the deal we just signed’, Starmer responded with some eager, staccato nods – a cue-seeking behaviour,’ she explained.
Even when Starmer had a chance to speak about the agreement, describing it as a ‘really important deal’, Trump quickly interrupted him, further diminishing the Prime Minister’s presence.
There were signs of agreement too, albeit awkward ones. James noted that Starmer gave ‘small nods of agreement’ when Trump criticised Joe Biden’s handling of Russia and when discussing Iran’s nuclear programme.
A chuckling laugh followed Trump’s aside that Starmer was ‘slightly more liberal than I am.’
As the press conference dragged on, James observed a shift in Starmer’s body language, signalling discomfort and a desire to exit.
‘Starmer began to show signs of edging to an exit when Trump announced, ‘This PM has done a good job. I want to tell the people of the UK,’ James said. ‘It was like a teacher giving a school end-of-term report.’
‘Starmer stood back with his hands clasped in front of his torso — a classic gesture of conclusion or withdrawal. It suggested the end of the clumsy-looking press call couldn’t come soon enough.’
