Andy Burnham and Donald Trump shook hands for the first time last night, with body language expert Judi James saying the encounter showed contrasting signs from the two men.
James said Burnham tightly meshed his fingers, picked at them after unlinking them and fiddled with his wedding ring. She said the movements appeared to be self-comfort or self-soothing rituals, hinting that Burnham was outside his comfort zone while meeting Trump’s power-play.
By contrast, James said Trump appeared relaxed and attentive as Burnham spoke. However, she said Trump’s metronomic fingertip tapping suggested some impatience.
Brief moment of rapport
James said Burnham appeared to perk up when asked whether he preferred Manchester to Manhattan. The two men then laughed together briefly, which she described as a possible glimpse of rapport.
She said Burnham might need to make considerable efforts to establish himself with Trump as both a keeper and a leader with power and strength.
What Burnham and Trump discussed
After their meeting at the UN General Assembly in New York, Trump said the allied nations’ special relationship was “more up” and stronger than it had been with Burnham’s predecessor, Keir Starmer.
Trump also said Burnham was a “man you can do business with” and a natural business person, adding that he understood what he had to do. He said Britain had “tremendous potential”, describing it as a patriotic country whose people loved it and which was waiting for success.
Burnham said he discussed trade, Ukraine and the Falkland Islands with Trump. He also said the United Kingdom was ready to help the United States in the Middle East by helping stop the conflict and open the Strait of Hormuz, and said Iran must never become a nuclear power.
Trump asked whether a deal would allow Iran to rebuild into a greater country or whether he should quickly annihilate the Islamic Republic. He also said Russia’s four-year war in Ukraine would end soon and that he would get it done.
Related: Jim O’Neill urges Andy Burnham to target gilt yields instead of ‘growth in every postcode’
Source: Metro News
