Trump and Macron reprise awkward handshakes during White House visit

As cross-Atlantic tensions remain high over how to end the Russia–Ukraine war, President Donald Trump and French counterpart Emmanuel Macron engaged in their own handshake tug-of-war at the White House on Monday.

The two leaders shared three awkward handshakes, in addition to other hand-touching encounters, during Macron’s visit to Washington on Monday. Trump’s sit down with Macron coincided with the third anniversary of the war and doubled as an opportunity for Trump to preview deals with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, respectively.

Trump and Macron have a long history of equally long and awkward handshakes, dating back to when they both became presidents of their respective countries in 2017. That includes a 29-second grasp that July during Trump’s trip to Paris for Bastille Day.

Here are their most awkward handshakes from Monday:

Macron’s arrival at the White House

After his awkward handshake to welcome Macron to the White House, Trump conveyed his well-wishes to Pope Francis.

“We want him to get well,” Trump told reporters. “It’s a very serious situation; we do want him to get well if that’s possible.”

Moments later, before their bilateral meeting in the Oval Office

Then, during their 30-minute exchange with reporters, Trump and Macron shook hands three times and, at two separate moments, touched each other on the knee, including after an anecdote about one of Trump’s visits to France.

“We’re at the Eiffel Tower having dinner,” Trump said. “We came out and he started speaking the French deal. And we didn’t have an interpreter, and he was going on and on, and I was just nodding, ‘Yes, yes, yes.’”

Later, Macron put his hand on Trump’s arm before correcting him about European spending on the war.

At the end of their joint press conference in the East Room

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Trump ended his press conference with Macron with a message for Macron’s wife, Brigitte, and another about the Russia-Ukraine war, as well as one last awkward handshake.

“Emmanuel, thank you very much; great job, and it’s been wonderful being with you. Say hello to your beautiful wife and we will see you again soon,” Trump said. “We’ll be speaking often. We’ll get this thing worked out. We’re going to get it done.”

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