Donald Trump’s comments condemning white supremacists may have been belated – and heavily scripted – but body language experts say they were largely sincere.

On Monday, under mounting media pressure, Mr Trump took to the podium to call out white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and the KKK. Three days earlier, a hundred of them had descended on Charlottesville, Virginia, in protests that lead to three deaths and dozens of injuries.

Mr Trump had initially attributed the casualties to “violence on many sides”. On Monday, however, he called out the hate groups specifically.

“Racism is evil,” Mr Trump said, in hastily arranged remarks at the White House. “And those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs, including the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and other hate groups that are repugnant to everything we hold dear as Americans.”

Body language experts Susan Constantine and Lillian Glass both told The Independent that the remarks appeared scripted, and devoid of the President's usual ad-libbing – an indication of the seriousness of the topic. But both women agreed that Mr Trump couldn't help letting slip some telling body-language cues.

“He’s got to either concentrate on his words and reading off the script, or on showing the right affect,” Ms Constantine said. “I’ve found that what he does is he reads the script, but at the moment he feels he wants to add emphasis, he uses hand gestures.”

Ms Constantine pointed to his signature bouncing, up-and-down hand gesture, which she says connotes his anger. The gesture, she said, is similar to someone shaking their finger. It means: “I am telling you with a level of certainty, I will absolutely not put up with it.”

Ms Glass also saw signs of authentic anger from the President, especially when he talked about one of the weekend's victims.

When discussing the death of 32-year-old Heather Heyer, she said, the President “breathes in through his nose, which shows he is angry". She compared the breathing to that of a bull before it enters the ring. His upturned palm, she added, shows he was speaking honestly on the subject.

Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Show all 9 1 /9 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Protesters clash and several are injured White nationalist demonstrators clash with counter demonstrators at the entrance to Lee Park in Charlottesville, Virginia. A state of emergency is declared, August 12 2017 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Trump supporters at the protest A white nationalist demonstrator walks into Lee Park in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. Hundreds of people chanted, threw punches, hurled water bottles and unleashed chemical sprays on each other Saturday after violence erupted at a white nationalist rally in Virginia. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville State police stand ready in riot gear Virginia State Police cordon off an area around the site where a car ran into a group of protesters after a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Militia armed with assault rifles White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' with body armor and combat weapons evacuate comrades who were pepper sprayed after the 'Unite the Right' rally was declared a unlawful gathering by Virginia State Police. Militia members marched through the city earlier in the day, armed with assault rifles. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Statue of Confederate General Robert E Lee The statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee stands behind a crowd of hundreds of white nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' during the 'Unite the Right' rally 12 August 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia. They are protesting the removal of the statue from Emancipation Park in the city. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Racial tensions sparked the violence White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' exchange insults with counter-protesters as they attempt to guard the entrance to Lee Park during the 'Unite the Right' rally Getty Violence on the streets of Charlottesville A car plows through protesters A vehicle drives into a group of protesters demonstrating against a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The incident resulted in multiple injuries, some life-threatening, and one death. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Rescue personnel help injured people after a car ran into a large group of protesters after an white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville President Donald Trump speaks about the ongoing situation in Charlottesville, Virginia from his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. He spoke about "loyalty" and "healing wounds" left by decades of racism.

But Ms Glass also noticed something odd about his remarks – a new gesture she had never witnessed the President making. The movement – a sort of pinching of the thumb and forefinger – is a gesture she says was pioneered by John F Kennedy, and parroted by every president after him.

“I guess he’s trying to be contained, because he’s got this new gesture,” she said. “...In essence, he’s starting to get more in-script and more in the politics of the matter.”

Despite this, Ms Glass is convinced that Mr Trump meant the bulk of what he said from behind the podium – whether or not he wrote the words himself.

“He's very controlled because he knows this is such a divisive issue,” she said, “...But he does leak out his anger and passion when he breathes through his nose, and his honesty comes out through his hand being open.”

Ms Constantine concurred.