A body language expert has revealed her insights on what happened during Barron Trump and Joe Biden‘s ‘mysterious’ interaction at the inauguration on Monday.
People have been captivated by a brief exchange the President’s son shared with the former POTUS, which is going viral on TikTok.
In the clip, the 18-year-old can be seen grabbing the Democrat politician’s hand before he leaned in and appeared to whisper something in the departing commander in chief’s ear.
While the Delaware native had a smile on his face before his interaction with Barron, after the teen made his elusive remark, Biden’s happy expression was replaced with a solemn look – and people on the web have been dying to know what he said.
On TikTok, where the video has received more than 500,000 views, some users in the comments section made their guesses at what Barron could have possibly told Biden to make him pivot to such a sombre expression.
‘Looks like he said, “You’re done” lol,’ one person joked.
But speaking to FEMAIL, communications coach Judi James has now explained that the truth may be far less exciting.
‘Barron very confidently and by all appearances charmingly bent to shake hands and exchange a few words with Biden,’ she recounted.
‘And although Biden’s face seems to fall as though Barron has passed on some kind of sinister threat or message, the truth was less dramatic as Barron seemed to be leaning to greet Kamala and Biden’s face was registering the fact that he’d finished his greeting ritual with Trump’s son.’
However, the expert said misconceptions about what he may have said could come from the fact that Barron’s behaviour oozed ‘super-confidence’ and ‘humour’ as he worked the room.
‘When he was introduced by his father, he stood like a rock star acknowledging the cheers and chants of his name and even cupped his ear to increase them,’ she continued.
‘Which is probably why people might assume (wrongly I’d say) that he’s possibly making barbed comments on his way out here.’
Judi highlighted that Barron was ‘working as a “sweeper” yesterday, which is a role he now frequently adopts when he attends his father’s events’.
‘This means he tends to arrive and leave behind his parents but instead of just walking off behind them as he did when he was younger, he spends time shaking hands and offering gracious-looking words,’ she explained.
‘This behavior begins to define his personal presence and status but without compromising that of his dad’s.
‘He lets everyone know that he is becoming a force to be reckoned with in his own right and because of his height and the increase in his confidence signals, it gives him a rather princely air, presence-wise.
‘The fact he does this behind his parents shows a level of trust from them, too.
‘Biden had been on the receiving end of a flame-thrower speech from Trump, where he had sat in a variety of poses including pained deflation and bravado smiling as his entire four years in office were scorched to ashes.’
The 18-year-old New York University student was joined by his mother, Melania Trump, and his elder half-brothers and sisters at the 2025 inauguration of President Donald Trump on Monday in Washington, D.C.
The viral video comes after Barron was praised as ‘a true gentleman‘ for shaking hands with Biden and Harris.
The gesture of peace also led to social media users deciding that the college freshman was ‘raised well’ by his mother Melania.
‘I was very impressed by that gesture and from someone so young. To go across the aisle and shake their hands was a very classy and mature thing to do. Good for Barron,’ one person said.
‘Such a good young man… That gesture just tells you everything. Well done Melania,’ another said.
Barron showed off a new slicked-back hairstyle as he attended his father’s second inauguration.
He looked smart in a long, black overcoat with a white shirt and purple tie as he attended a church ceremony at St. John’s Episcopal Church opposite the White House on Monday morning.
The NYU-Stern student, who towers over his dad and mother at 6-foot-9, kept his expression neutral as he walked into church and sat in a pew alongside his parents.
Trump was flanked by every member of his family as he took the oath of office for the second time, further securing the political future of the Trump dynasty.
The president’s brood have stayed close to their father over the course of his political career and as he returns to the Oval Office, it has become clear that the family remain as pillars who will carry on the MAGA legacy once his term is finished.
All five of Trump’s children were front and center Monday with Barron even standing by his side as he was sworn into office.
Trump’s other children and 10 grandchildren were also center stage for the swearing in, dazzling MAGA fans as they danced the night away at the glamorous inauguration balls.
Trump and Melania hit three inaugural balls in one night a they lit up Washington D.C. to mark the beginning of a new MAGA era.
The newly sworn-in president and his glamorous first lady started at the military-themed Commander in Chief Ball, before heading to the nearby Liberty Ball where they danced onstage with the entire Trump family. Then, they motorcaded to Union Station for the Starlight Ball.
‘We needed three because we have such support,’ Trump told the crowd at the Liberty Ball at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center Monday night.
Melania debuted a leggy, white-and-black gown, which was custom-made by Hervé Pierre, the same designer who crafted her 2017 inaugural outfit.
They did their first slow dance to The Battle Hymn of the Republic, played by the United States Marine Band, before being joined onstage by Vice President J.D. Vance and his wife, Usha.
Both couples then danced with members of the military, as is the custom.
‘This is quite a gathering huh?’ the 47th president said to the crowd that numbered in the thousands, with many servicemembers sporting their dress uniforms.
After Trump was sworn in during a ceremony surrounded by tech titans and media moguls, the president promised a ‘new golden age of America.’
‘You are now witnessing the dawn of the golden age of America,’ he claimed. ‘We’re not going to put up with that crap anymore.’
Trump turned his rally at a downtown Washington arena into a signing ceremony as he grabbed his pen and issued multiple executive actions to institute major policy changes.
He then went back to the Oval Office – his first appearance of his second term – to sign several more.
The president said he would sign pardons back at the White House and indicated those convicted in the riot on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. would be released Monday.
Trump officially halted 78 Biden-era executive orders, announced a regulatory freeze preventing bureaucrats from issuing regulations until the Trump administration has full control of the government and a freeze on all federal hiring except for military and a few other essential areas.
He also ordered a requirement that federal workers return to full-time in-person work, a directive to every department and agency to address the cost of living crisis, and announced withdrawal from the Paris climate treaty.
