The U. S. and French presidents shook hands for almost 25 seconds, following their prolonged handshake in May, which Macron later said was “not innocent.”
Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron engaged in a long, long handshake Friday as the pair met for Bastille Day — akin to the United States’ 4th of July celebration — in Paris, France.
The two world leaders shook hands for nearly 25 seconds at the military parade, which marked a turning point in the French Revolution in 1789, the storming of the Bastille military prison.
At one point during the awkward embrace, Trump, still holding Macron’s hand, reached over to kiss the French president’s wife, Brigitte Macron, on the cheek and clasped her hand as well — and all three held hands at the same time.
See Twitter reactions that followed here:
The bizarrely long handshake is the latest incident in a saga of cringe-worthy handshake moments for the U. S. President. Trump and Macron had a hard time letting go of each other’s hands when they first met in Brussels back in May.
Phillip Rucker, a pool reporter for The Washington Post, who was present when the two first met, described the encounter:
“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.”
The French president later told the Journal du Dimanche that his strange handshake with his American counterpart was “not innocent, ” adding that the exchange between the two world leaders was “a moment of truth.”
After leaving France, Trump tweeted, “It was a great honor to represent the United States at the magnificent #BastilleDay parade. Congratulations President @EmmanuelMacron!”
See photos of Donald and Melania Trump take part in the Bastille Day celebration:
