Body language expert decodes what Pete Hegseth was really thinking during grilling on infidelities

President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary stoically faced his first volley of questions from hostile Democrats on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, but a body language expert revealed to DailyMail.com what he was really thinking.

Hegseth started the hearings with a display of ‘alpha confidence’, body language expert Judi James revealed to DailyMail.com, describing him as ‘a very skilled performer’ as Democrats tested him.

But Hegseth wasn’t completely insensitive, James noted, when he thanked his third wife Jennifer for her support, even though there was “an emotional crinkle of the chin and a break in his voice” when he noted, “I love you darling .’

Although Hegseth was interrupted during his opening speech, James noted that he stuck his tongue to dismiss their protests, drank water, and was angry at the outbursts.

The highly anticipated Senate confirmation hearings dominated headlines on Tuesday as senators criticized the former Fox News star over allegations of marital infidelity and excessive alcohol consumption.

James indicated that Hegseth repeatedly stuck his tongue in his cheek as accusations were made, but he seemed very insensitive to the multitude of attacks in the media and during the hearings about the behavior he exhibited in his past life.

When Senator Mazie Hirono accused Hegseth of being “drunk” at work, he denounced the anonymously obtained media reports as part of a “smear campaign” by his enemies. He even took a break and drank water while she challenged him about his drinking habits.

James revealed that Hegseth was particularly powerful in those moments.

“His ‘tell’ appears to be a ‘tongue in cheek’ gesture that he performs more than once, although it does not appear to be used to register any precise emotion or thought,” James explained. “There he grabs the water with a micro wallet from his lips and a joyless, perhaps ironic smile as he acknowledges that there is a ‘smear campaign’.

Hegseth acknowledged his personal failures during the hearing and vowed to do better with the help of his wife.

“I’m not a perfect person, but redemption is real,” he said.

During an emotional shakedown by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), James noted that Hegseth continued to maintain his “poker face” even as he displayed a “downward gaze” and an “increased blink rate” when she sued him for his statements criticizing had criticized the use of women in the military, calling them ‘hurtful’ and ‘harmful’.

Pete Hegseth, President Donald Trump’s pick to become Secretary of Defense, appears before the Senate Armed Services Committee

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., speaks during the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing for Pete Hegseth,

“You’re going to have to change how you see women to do this work well, and I don’t know if you’re capable of doing that,” she said.

Gillibrand also challenged Hegseth on whether he believed people with left-wing views should be allowed into the military, prompting him to reveal that he was prevented from carrying out a mission to celebrate the inauguration due to a Christian tattoo he had from President Joe Biden.

“His comment about being labeled ‘extremist’ because of a tattoo is accompanied by a heavy lip lock and micro body hair,” James noted to DailyMail.com.