What A Body Language Expert Really Thinks About Joe Biden And Donald Trump's Relationship

From President Donald Trump refusing to denounce white supremacists to former vice president Joe Biden telling Trump to "shut up," there was never a dull moment during the first U.S. presidential debate of 2020. But what can viewers gain from the presidential debate beyond the words themselves? If you take the candidates' body language into consideration, the answer is a whole lot.

Nicole Moore, a life coach and relationship expert based in California, talked to The List ahead of the debate about the body language Trump and Biden have exhibited toward each other over time. Unsurprisingly, there's a lot of ill will between these two men. Of course, for viewers of the debate, that animosity isn't anything new — Biden called Trump a "clown" and a "racist" during the event, so it's clear the Democratic contender doesn't have a high opinion of the current president. But based on Moore's statements, the opponents' body language echoes just what a history-making election year it is.

"It's not unusual for political adversaries to have a negative opinion about each other," life coach Nicole Moore told The List. "However with 2020, everything is more highly charged, including the relationship between President Donald Trump and former vice president Joe Biden. Their body language reveals that these two have nothing but negative feelings toward each other."

Voters on either side of the aisle would likely agree that these "negative feelings" are a given considering what's at stake in this election. After all, moderator Chris Wallace asked both candidates questions regarding America's most pressing issues, including racism and the coronavirus pandemic, so it's hard to imagine voters feeling lukewarm about the election. Still, there seems to be a particular breed of animosity between the two candidates.

During her conversation with The List, Moore cited an interview Biden did with 60 Minutes in October 2019. "Before even giving a response in words, his body language revealed the contempt he has for Trump," Moore said, referencing Biden's response to a question about Russia and the election. "Biden said 'ugh,' sucked air in and began laughing, demonstrating clearly with his body language that he does not see value in what Trump has to say." Of course, Biden also called Trump an "idiot" during the same interview, Moore pointed out, so we don't exactly need body language to decode that one.

It's not a coincidence that President Donald Trump has been seen without a mask during the coronavirus pandemic. The president has accused former vice president Joe Biden of "liking" to wear masks, as if helping stop the spread of a deadly virus is anything but a net positive. It's a line of reasoning that doesn't make much sense, but Trump seems to think that Biden's penchant for wearing potentially life-saving face masks is a "gotcha" point.

"When mocking Biden and physically acting out and demonstrating Biden's mask-wearing, Trump has a moment where he throws his hands in front of him and flicks them downward, in a body language move typically used when men are calling another man a 'sissy,'" life coach Nicole Moore told The List, referring to one of the president's recent speeches. "The body language is clear: Trump looks down on Biden and sees him as a weak man, not a real threat."

Body language aside, it's clear that Trump and Biden have little (if any) respect for each other at this point. The upcoming presidential debates are sure to be just as contentious as the first one, with both harsh verbal attacks and hostile body language to cement the animosity.