First Lady Melania Trump was absolutely thrilled to be in attendance at her husband President Donald Trump's inauguration at the weekend. She smiled. She nodded. She clapped. And then her husband turned his back and a look washed over her face that's hard to articulate. A look that now has people wondering what she was really thinking.
If you found yourself watching the presidential inauguration and thinking, 'Geez, you could cut the tension between Donald and Melania Trump with a knife' you weren't alone.
During the President's first week in office, social media has been quick to scrutinise the relationship between the new First Family - and how it compares to that of former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle.
On Inauguration Day, the Trumps stepped out of their black security car to greet the Obamas who were waiting outside the White House.
This was the first moment body language expert, Patti Wood - who has been studying interactions between celebrity couples for more than 20 years - noted as the first flaw in the unit.
"What I didn't see when they stepped out of that car was warmth or tenderness," Ms Wood told news.com.au.
"There were several ways in which Trump could've waited for his wife before greeting the Obamas, which he failed to do.
"Instead, he walked ahead and left her behind, showing that he is more important and takes precedence."
Wood said that while President Trump could've escorted the First Lady up the stairs, or given the gift to the Obamas as a couple - "he didn't make the choice we wanted him to make".
"The big ticker for me is that he didn't even look back, check on his wife and formally introduce her to the Obamas," she said.
"He didn't make eye contact or smile at her, and he didn't bring her into the fold.
"During the gift exchange, it looked like he had told her what to do with the box.
Wood said while the day is about the new President, the meeting at the White House is more a family exchange - from one unit to another.
"The Obamas made her feel welcome, but I didn't see him make her feel that way," she said.
"Meeting at the White House is for one family welcoming the other, but from what we saw - it didn't look like the Trumps were a unit.
Body language expert, Dr Lillian Glass - who has been dubbed as the 'First Lady in Communication' said Trump walking in front of his wife came across as "rude" and a "lack of affection".
President Donald Trump dances with wife Melania Trump at the Liberty Inaugural Ball. Photo / Getty Images
"We have come from eight years of the Obamas, and there's no question that Barack adores Michelle," Dr Glass told news.com.au.
"He looks up to her, and worships her. But with the Trumps, it's in reverse and she looks at him with adoration."
But Dr Glass said you cannot compare the marriage between each couple, because the Obamas and the Trumps have stemmed from very different circumstances.
"You can't compare the two," Dr Glass said.
"Barack and Michelle married young. She was his boss, and they fell in love so they have a whole life together.
Wood said the body language from both partys during the first dance as President and First Lady - who have been married for 12 years - once again displayed a lack of intimacy between the pair.
"There are key things I look for in a couple, and what I didn't see was warmth or tenderness," Wood said.
"During the dance, she pulled back her upper torso. Typically, when holding hands, you curl your fingers in to the other person. But with Melania's hands, instead of curling around or holding on tight for comfort, they were held away from his hand, indicating she is not comforted by him.
"Trump has been married several times, so it's a whole different kettle of fish."
Wood said that when President Trump pulled away and sung 'I did it my way' - shouting to the crowd without acknowledging his wife indicated Melania "wasn't part of the journey".
"That dance is supposed to be their moment as a couple, and again he chose for it to be about him," Wood said.
"There was only one small moment when they were dancing and she leant in to kiss him. But after a kiss, the response I look for is a laugh or smile - but I didn't see that, meaning it was planned, rather than spontaneous and a tender kiss."
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump, along with their son Barron, walk in their inaugural parade. Photo / Getty Images
But Dr Glass, who has been studying body language for more than three decades, said that while she didn't agree with President Trump charging in front of Melania when meeting the Obamas at the White House, she says the pair are a "perfect match".
"You can gauge a lot from body language," Dr Glass said.
"I think Donald and Melania are real, and have a perfect couple relationship. "They come from different backgrounds and have a child together. She's very accommodating, and he has a huge ego and needs a lot of attention.
"Trump couldn't be with a wife who is competing for the limelight, and so for his personality type and her personality type, they couldn't be a better match."
But Wood said that she felt by looking at the pair, "if you didn't know that they were couple, you wouldn't know that they are married" because they didn't read as a unit.
