A recent meeting between US President-elect Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron has sent social media into a frenzy, thanks to another viral handshake. The two leaders shared a noticeably long, white-knuckled handshake as Trump visited Paris to attend the reopening ceremony of the Notre Dame Cathedral; this act sent the netizens into a joke-overloading mode.
This trip represents Trump’s first international visit since he won the presidency for a second time in 2024 over Vice President Kamala Harris. As Macron received Trump, their handshake lasted an impressive ten seconds as Trump firmly held on to the French president’s hand, shaking it vigorously.
The situation turned somewhat comical when Macron’s efforts to break loose from Trump’s tight grip merely resulted in him being pulled close for a photo opportunity. Even after the cameras stopped clicking, the two maintained their firm handhold as they went on their merry way toward the Elysee Palace.
Their history of weird handshakes started with their first meeting, in which Trump tried to disengage, but Macron clung on. In 2017, the two did a 29-second-long handshake, neither willing to let go. The following year, Macron left his mark on Trump’s hand when he shook it too hard.
Social media commentary continues to flow in, with one user saying, “Welcome to the latest round of the Trump/Macron handshake power struggle saga,” and another adding, “There’s that handshake again.” The handshakes remain fascinating and a source of humor as the two leaders work out their relationship.
