Few true enjoyment smiles. By contrast, Donald Trump rarely looks happy. Smiles that occur when someone is really enjoying themselves involve not only
zygomaticus major, AU12, but also constriction of the muscles around the eyes (
orbicularis oculi ) especially in the lateral area that create crow’s feet (FACS AU6; Ekman et al., 1990). Even in contexts when he should be most happy—in the midst of adulation from his base during a rally—we see posturing, but not joy. I have never seen him laugh. Perhaps he laughs and enjoys himself on the golf course—I hope it is so!—but I am not privy to close-up shots of his face in the midst of a golf game.
Taken together, what does this all mean? As I implied earlier, facial expressions and other displays of emotion do not tell us their causes: We need to consult context. Considered across their many contexts and repeated display, Trump’s facial repertoire suggests these things to me about the 45th President of the United States:
- He has a great deal of fear under the surface.
- He tries to position himself as superior to others, whether he truly sees himself that way or not.
- He is rarely happy.
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