President Trump has a long history of bizarre handshakes but French President Emmanuel Macron might have him beat. Macron may have out-Trumped his American counterpart during a Thursday meeting in Brussels.
“They shook hands for an extended period of time. Each president gripped the other’s hand with considerable intensity, their knuckles turning white and their jaws clenching and faces tightening,” Washington Post reporter Phillip Rucker, who was in the room, wrote.
Trump is known for his extended handshakes with former F.B.I. Director James Comey and a variety of world leaders, include Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. CNN’s Jeanne Moos coined Trump’s typical move as the “grab and yank,” but Macron was the one who wouldn’t let go when the leaders met before the NATO summit.
Rucker sent a follow-up tweet, “Trump tried twice to release and Macron held on tight.”
Check out some of the Twitter reaction to the odd handshake:
https://twitter.com/JonLemire/status/867711491591610368
Best thing about this is not the handshake itself but Macron acting like it's totally normal 👋🏼 pic.twitter.com/nE15KO84yt
— Miriam Elder (@MiriamElder) May 25, 2017
This was quite the handshake!
Trump reaches 1st.
They grip so tight their knuckles go white. Trump tries to let go but Macron squeezes. https://t.co/CgrufBndTj— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) May 25, 2017
Did the orb take Trump's alpha handshake capability? pic.twitter.com/gmkvQcx8Lr
— Matt Novak (@paleofuture) May 25, 2017
Trump and Macron engage in a little handshake diplomacy: https://t.co/UKIg5wWU2s pic.twitter.com/rH5HMRWmYn
— Reuters (@Reuters) May 25, 2017
WH pool report noted the "intensity" and length of the @realDonaldTrump @EmmanuelMacron handshake today. pic.twitter.com/fyZcIPiFhU
— Kelly O'Donnell (@KellyO) May 25, 2017
https://twitter.com/CillizzaCNN/status/867750609566531584
Like a rodeo bull trump shook aggressively but #macron held on and rode that bull to the ground not letting go #handshake #owned #resist pic.twitter.com/wS9pcmH5M7
— Rick (@changemation) May 25, 2017
Macron did his homework on how to defend yourself against the Trump handshake. #hateshake https://t.co/nixUKfldux
— The Darkest Timeline Numbersmuncher (@NumbersMuncher) May 25, 2017
Earlier this year, Trump inspired a fourth-degree black belt to put out a video that teaches you how to turn the handshake into a goose neck wrist-lock. Robin Gieseler of the Gracie Academy of Jiu-Jitsu assured the Secret Service that if he and Trump ever cross paths he “probably won’t wrist-lock the President.”
Check out the video above.