Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and others played hooky from Congress to pledge fealty to defendant Donald Trump on a pivotal day in his criminal hush money trial.
But a savvy body language expert believes he found the Florida lawmaker's gestures to be hollow compared to the pounding words he used to defend the 45th president's innocence.
Dr. Jack Brown, an emotional intelligence expert whose skills have been spotlighted on CNN and ABC News, published a thread on Twitter/X to break down the congressman's seemingly tepid support.
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"...of all six times Gaetz gestures only with [sic] his left hand/arm in this crucial video clip, when Gaetz says, 'We're here of our own volition' – he lifts his hand the least."
"This relativity/nuance is further indication of Gaetz's lack of belief in his own statement."
Gaetz headed up to Lower Manhattan as part of a conservative procession breaking from their day jobs in the Capitol to show solidarity with the presumptive Republican nominee for president.
Gaetz tore after Trump's former fixer turned foe Michael Cohen, who was testifying under oath and being grilled by the defense.
The pol labeled Cohen a "liar."
"There's literally no branch of government that Michael Cohen has not lied to," he said. "And he committed these lies for his own benefit."
Gaetz called Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan "corrupt" and called out his family earning "six figures" profiting off of the trial.
He added: "It's like the Mr. Potato Head doll of crimes — where they had to stick together a bunch of things that did not belong together."
He was joined by fellow Freedom Caucus members including: Reps. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Mike Waltz (R-FL), Eli Crane (R-AZ), Andy Ogles (R-TN), Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), Ralph Norman (R-SC), Bob Good (R-VA), and Lauren Boebert (R-CO).
Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of covering up six-figure sum to porn star Stormy Daniels to buy her silence to influence the outcome of the 2016 election.
“Standing back, and standing by, Mr. President,” Gaetz captioned a photo posted on Twitter/X featuring him and fellow Republicans standing behind Trump in a courtroom hallway.
"Did you also notice how many of Gaetz's fellow congressional members (AWAL from their jobs) were standing with their hands in the fig-leaf position," asked Brown. "Fig Leaf (aka genital guarding) is also displayed during times of: Low-Confidence, Emotional Discomfort, Need for Emotional Protection."
The expert noted that the contingent collectively didn't show the kind of show of force that they intended.
"Despite their attempts at bravado and hubris, Gaetz and his Republican cohort have low confidence, emotional discomfort, and a need for protection," he wrote. "They felt vulnerable."
