French President Emmanuel Macron called his handshake with President Trump “a moment of truth” following their first meeting in Brussels last week.
The handshake between the new French leader and the American president immediately went viral. Trump is known for giving overpowering, forceful handshakes and Macron was apparently ready for it, gripping Trump’s hand with such force that photos showed both men were white-knuckled during their photo op.
Macron said that was very much on purpose.
The Trump/Macron handshake ? (h/t @NoahGrayCNN) pic.twitter.com/Ce3ZznfuxM
— Daniella Diaz (@DaniellaMicaela) May 25, 2017
“My handshake with him, it wasn’t innocent,” Macron said, according to The Guardian.
“One must show that you won’t make small concessions, even symbolic ones, but also not overpublicize things either.”
Trump later got Macron back during an “embrace” at NATO headquarters in Brussels when he shook the French president’s hand so forcefully that it appeared Macron pushed Trump’s hand away.
This is a pretty intense handshake between Macron and Trump pic.twitter.com/nseTdcpXkX
— Colin Jones (@colinjones) May 25, 2017
Trump notably had an awkward interaction with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during their first meeting when Trump shook Abe’s hand so forcefully that Abe was jerked toward Trump. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau seemed to take Macron’s route of being prepared for Trump’s handshake during their White House meeting, not allowing Trump to jerk his arm around instead staying firm.
