NEWSDonald Trump Was 'Caught Off Guard' by Thunderous Boos at Knicks Game, Body Language Expert Claims: 'He Wasn't Expecting It'
Donald Trump's smirk was a 'facade' after being booed at the New York Knicks game.
June 9 2026, Published 6:34 p.m. ET
Donald Trump was booed while attending Game 3 of the NBA finals, with a body language expert calling his quick smirk response a "facade."
"When he hears the big Boos, Trump's smile changes completely, and suddenly," renowned body language expert, Inbaal Honigman, told Casino.org. "This instant, sudden change is the proof that he wasn't expecting the boos, and he's caught off guard, unable to maintain the show of confidence. It is the swiftness of the change which indicates the immediate shock."
Donald Trump Was Booed at Game 3 of the NBA Finals
Donald Trump was booed during the National Anthem at Madison Square Garden in New York.
The president, 79, watched the New York Knicks take on the San Antonio Spurs on Monday, June 8. The outing marked the first time a sitting U.S. president has attended the NBA finals, with his presence reportedly causing hourslong wait times for ticketholders.
Though Trump showed signs of "quiet confidence" during the event's National Anthem, the body language expert called it a "facade" to "create an impression of authority."
"The president raises his hand to his brow and salutes," the expert recounted. "He raises his chin proudly and smiles with his lips closed, in an expression that sends out a message of quiet confidence."
Donald Trump Attempted to Soothe His Nerves By 'Rocking Back and Forth'
Want OK! each day? Sign up here!
Donald Trump immediately 'smirked' after receiving boos at Madison Square Garden.
Honigman believed that Trump showed his nerves by "lightly rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet."
"This rocking is a soothing move, calming his nerves as all eyes are on him. Easing his tension, his calm smile shines, but he is not prepared for what comes next," the body language expert explained. "Trump's facial expression quickly switches when he notices the booing, which suggests surprise, but his smirk lets the audience know that he thinks he's better than they are."
Honigman pointed out that a smirk was "not a happy smile," but a "reaction to an uneasy situation."
Donald Trump's Smirk Was Interpreted as 'Condescending'
Donald Trump was trying to 'hide' that he was in a 'stressful situation' by smirking at the basketball game.
"The president's smirk is condescending, indicating superiority and possibly even contempt. He accepts the Booing, because he thinks that the audience is beneath him," the body language continued. "Sometimes, smirks are linked with keeping secrets, so Trump's smirk could suggests that he's taking pleasure in knowing something that the fans don't know."
Honigman claimed that the president continued "rocking back and forth on his feet" throughout the ordeal, adding, "He's trying to hide it, but he's finding the situation stressful."
