There's A Reason Trump Is Always Pointing His Finger At People — And It's Surprisingly Powerful

A new study reveals the persuasive appeal of the gesture.

Christopher Hart, a professor of linguistics at Lancaster University in the U.K., noticed something early on about how U.S. President Donald Trump communicates: The man loves to point, and it has a surprisingly powerful effect on his followers. (More on that later.)

Unlike a lot of politicians, Trump ― always a bit of a showman, given his reality TV background ― connects with his supporters at political rallies with a combination of rhetoric and gestures. It’s not just during speeches that he’ll strategically point his fingers; he’ll point to a political ally after they introduce him on the campaign trail, or to a member of the administration he wants to boost, like he did here at the White House in 2018 with outgoing spokesperson Hope Hicks.

He homes in on his enemies by pointing, too, like he did in the final presidential debate against Hillary Clinton in 2016, pictured below. It’s a kind of “can you believe this person?” index-finger indictment.

He’s given to pointing to himself, too ― or to the branding on a Trump hat.

And if there’s a solar eclipse, he’ll definitely point and stare at that bad boy, even if scientists warn against doing so without protective eyewear.