An awkward exchange between former US President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino has been dissected by a leading body language expert, revealing a moment of potential sarcasm and pride.
The Cringe-Worthy Ceremony
The incident occurred during the FIFA World Cup draw ceremony at the Kennedy Center in Washington on Friday. As captured on camera, Gianni Infantino presented Trump with the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize, a metallic statue, before drawing attention to a accompanying medal.
"This is your peace prize. There is also a beautiful medal for you that you can wear everywhere you want to go," Infantino announced. The footage then shows Trump grinning at the prize before awkwardly lifting the medal himself. "Right now," Trump said into the microphone, before setting it down to place the medal around his own neck.
"Ok, let me hold -ah, fantastic," Infantino commented as Trump adorned himself.
Expert Analysis of Trump's Non-Verbal Cues
Body language guru Judi James shared her insights with Mirror US, interpreting the brief but telling clip. She suggested Trump's "non-verbal purrs of pleasure" peaked when he saw the medal, an honour that "clearly suited him."
However, James highlighted the unconventional delivery. "Instead of the medal being 'awarded' by being hung around his neck in an honourable and historic ritual... there was an awkward moment here for Trump," she observed.
James interpreted Trump's "comedic response" and "playful grin" to the audience as hinting "at a small drop of sarcasm for what might have been a solemn Presidential moment." She noted his struggle with the microphone and medal, having to handle the task himself.
"Despite the slightly lowering experience though, Trump's 'bullfrog smile' to the audience signaled strong feelings of pride and pleasure at having at last being awarded some form of peace prize," James concluded. Trump himself called it "one of the great honors of my life."
World Cup 2026: The Bigger Picture
The draw ceremony, co-hosted by supermodel Heidi Klum, comedian Kevin Hart, and actor-producer Danny Ramirez, set the stage for the upcoming tournament. The draw itself was conducted by former Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will run from 11 June through to 19 July, featuring a massive 104 football matches. It will be hosted across 16 venues in North America, with 78 games at 11 NFL stadiums in the United States. The quarterfinals and all subsequent matches will be held in the US, with 13 games each in Mexico and Canada.
In a historic first for a World Cup final, the grand finale at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on 19 July will feature a halftime show.
The event also served as a reminder of Trump's "FIFA Pass" programme, unveiled last November, which provides fast-tracked visa bookings for international visitors with World Cup tickets.
