President Trump’s first attempt to take part in an intricate world leader handshake in the Philippines ahead of the ASEAN Summit started with a grimace, but ended with an enthusiastic smile.
.@realDonaldTrump joins other leaders in a handshake with President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, right, during the opening ceremony of the 31st ASEAN Summit pic.twitter.com/mfqTU8AmUr
— Doug Mills (@dougmillsnyt) November 13, 2017
Trump was positioned next to Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, as host of ASEAN’s 31st summit in Manila, for the group photo.
An emcee on hand to assist told the leaders to give the photographer their “brightest smile,” according to a pool report.
“After a false start, Trump executed the handshake correctly — and smiled much more enthusiastically than he had for the photo,” the pool report read.
Things got a bit awkward as Pres. Trump posed with world leaders for a group handshake at the beginning of the ASEAN summit in the Philippines. https://t.co/cZW0wVwCLT pic.twitter.com/0edOdDCHYh— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) November 13, 2017
The handshake photo opportunity is a tradition at many international summits, along with wearing the customary dress of the host nation at select events.
Trump is scheduled to participate in the summit’s opening ceremony before taking bilateral meetings with leaders from Australia, the Philippines, and India on Monday, local time.
