Melania Trump proves she holds REAL power with blink-and-miss-it moves

By NIKKI SCHWAB, CHIEF CAMPAIGN CORRESPONDENT Published: 17:18, 2 May 2026 | Updated: 17:21, 2 May 2026 First Lady Melania Trump's 'soft power' dominance was on full display during this week's glitzy state visit with King Charles III and Queen Camilla, according to an expert in the art of body language.  She seemingly used small gestures and outfits to steer several notable moments with the royals during a four-day swing. However, the first notable moment wasn't actually with the King and Queen – rather it was how the First Lady interacted with her husband, President Donald Trump. Body language expert Judi James observed how Melania's hand-holding revealed a 'rather touching and sweet dynamic,' showing just how much he needs her.  As the Trumps entered the White House Cross Hall to head to the state dinner on Tuesday, James observed the President having a 'very firm and needy-looking grip on his wife's gloved hand.'  James noticed the way his fingers curled around hers, and said it showed a 'subtle dependency.' She also said the President showed unwillingness to let go when Melania tried to pull her hand out of his grasp. 'Trump's almost childlike reluctance to drop her hand left him clutching at her thumb right up to the point where they parted,' she observed.  This, the expert said, was the clearest sign of Melania's increasing power over Trump. But it wasn't the only instance.  When the King and Queen first arrived at the White House on Monday, Melania's mannerisms 'very firmly and emphatically announced her warmth and affection for the Royals,' James said.  Body language expert Judi James noticed how President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were holding hands as they entered the White House's Cross Hall on Tuesday night to head into the East Room for the state dinner James said that Melania performed an upgrade ritual on King Charles when he arrived at the White House on Monday The First Lady deployed 'some elegant but powerful cheek-kissing,' which James said showed she was defining the 'special relationship' between the United Kingdom and the United States as 'non-negotiable.'  Melania also performed what's called an 'upgrade' ritual with King Charles.  'As he proffered a hand to shake, she upgraded their shake into a matching, affectionate kiss on both cheeks,' James told the Daily Mail.  Melania continued to dazzle the King when, after Monday afternoon tea, she and the President led him and the Queen to the White House Kitchen Garden to see the upgraded beehive. 'Melania clearly shares a passion for beekeeping with Charles,' James said, 'and she took control of the important moment of first socializing as a result.' The body language expert noticed how Melania 'charmed the King with some very active and joyful, non-verbal responses that saw him immediately relax and begin to showboat under her flattery.'  James said she also performed 'stroke' rituals - giggling, laughing, smiling - to put the King at ease. During Tuesday's more official arrival ceremony, James said the First Lady seemed to be on flocking duty.  The President is known to sometimes step out of line or go against royal protocol.  James noticed that 'Melania had shouldered this very important job of leadership and strategic thinking.' President Donald Trump bid a stirring farewell to King Charles III and Queen Camilla on Thursday, capping off a historic four-day whirlwind tour with a glowing endorsement of the British monarchy The first-ever state visit by the King and Queen showed the President and First Lady roll out the red carpet at the White House Melania upgraded interactions with the King and Queen by turning a handshake into a double-cheek kiss The King and Trump stand side-by-side during the Royals' recent visit to the US  First Lady Melania put King Charles at ease, body language expert Judi James said, during the tour of the White House Kitchen Garden and beehive alongside Trump Body language expert Judi James said that First Lady Melania Trump's decision to wear a buttercream suit on Monday showed that she was 'sealing the concept of a positive restart' between the US and UK 'Royal visits always require strenuous steering and ushering rituals to ensure the choreography works, with no dithering or arriving in the wrong place,' the expert said.  James observed that during the formal greeting ceremony, it was Melania's left hand that motioned her guests through the staged directions.  She also pointed out the ways in which Melania seemed to speak through her clothes.  The buttercream suit she wore on Monday was meant to convey 'hope, creativity and optimism' through its yellow tones, 'sealing the concept of a positive restart' between the two countries, James said.  The President has hammered British Prime Minister Keir Starmer over his reluctance to help the US in the Iran war, so King Charles' visit was to help bolster the relationship.  Melania's opening day outfit was both soft and serious, as it included the 'sharp shoulder pads' that have become a signature look of hers during the second term.  On Tuesday morning, the First Lady once again made a statement.  James noted how Melania's hat 'created an air of tradition and formality' but 'by putting her face into shadow' it allowed the First Lady to shoot the President 'reminder' glances when he went off-script.  James said the hat helped, Melania signal to Trump when he was going off-script  By matching outfits with Queen Camilla, First Lady Melania Trump 'very carefully avoided upstaging her as they sat together'   First Lady Melania Trump wore a pale delphinium pink silk strapless gown by Christian Dior Haute Couture to Tuesday night's state dinner By matching colors with Queen Camilla, James also observed, Melania 'very carefully avoided upstaging her as they sat together.'   And then there was the dress that Melania wore to the state dinner – a pale delphinium pink silk strapless gown by Christian Dior Haute Couture.  She wore matching Dior pale delphinium silk pumps and off-white Dior suede gloves.  James called the dress 'iconic' and swatted away comparisons made to a pink gown and white gloves worn by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, saying that the First Lady's dress had an 'unforgiving structure... that only Melania could carry off.'  'The signal of utter confidence,' James said, 'came from the way Melania still wore the dramatically structured gown rather than the gown wearing her.' No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.