Donald Trump Was ‘Uncertain’ About How His Supporters Would React to Nicki Minaj Joining Him at Rally

Nicki Minaj was once a Donald Trump critic, but today she’s one of biggest celebrity supporters. And now that the POTUS is campaigning with candidates ahead of the crucial mid-term elections, he decided to bring her star power with him to a rally in Michigan. But according to an expert, Trump showed signs of “uncertainty” before introducing Minaj at the rally because he wasn’t sure how his supports in the battleground state would react to the Queens rapper.

Inbaal Honigman is a body language expert. She has appeared in the media for more than two decades, offering her expertise and perspectives on several pop culture figures for Big Brother’s Little Brother, Elle Magazine, and talkSPORT radio, to name a few.

Speaking on behalf of Covers, Honigman told Showbiz Cheat Sheet, “Trump isn’t sure whether the audience would love her or hate her. His eyes were darting from side to side, trying to ascertain how this would go down with his base. His head doesn’t move as his eyes shift from right to left. He’s inspecting the room and seeing how the introduction is received.

“Trump perhaps isn’t aware of her value to his brand and is concerned that his fans won’t accept her. In contrast, when Trump introduces people that he feels are valuable, his nonverbal communication doesn’t seek approval and is more confident and direct. Trump’s ‘accordion hands’, long absent from the campaign trail, are back in force. These gestures were a typical feature of Trump’s early political career, but actually date back much further, to his days as a New York property tycoon.”

Honigman continued, “With his palms facing one another and moving rhythmically in and out, Trump’s constantly moving hands were never just a gesture, but a distraction technique, similar to the speedy hand movements of a street trickster or quick-change artist. They were part of his businessman persona, designed to charm and captivate an audience.

“The disappearance of these gestures during Trump’s second presidential campaign coincided with a shift away from his rambling rallies and politically incorrect speeches. It’s possible he received coaching on what to say and how to present himself in order to be taken more seriously as a politician.”

The expert concluded, “However, their return as he introduces Nicki Minaj suggests he’s less concerned with impressing political commentators and more focused on winning over his audience. Trump appears to be reverting to his old salesman persona, attempting to charm his supporters into accepting a potentially controversial guest. Minaj feels confident and thrilled to be joining the president on the podium.

“Her smile is wide, eyebrows raised in disbelief. Palms upturned, eyes raised, she is proud, excited, and honest. Her upwards-turned hands are a mark of honesty. They’re a way of showing that she’s not hiding anything. Her genuine and authentic body language — facing the audience, looking upwards, those all show that she genuinely supports Trump and believes in him. Her ‘purse hands,’ fingers pinched in an upwards motion, show that she believes that Trump and his Republican buddies can change America for the better.”

Showbiz Cheat Sheet acknowledges that conditions and cultures can impact body language and is sensitive to all backgrounds.