CAIRO, EGYPT – A highly unusual and prolonged handshake between US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron drew significant attention during their meeting at a peace agreement signing ceremony for the Gaza Strip in Egypt. The interaction, which lasted a full 26 seconds, was captured on video and quickly became a topic of intense discussion across international media and among body language experts.
The footage, distributed by news agencies and media outlets like the Daily Mail and reported by the Huffington Post, showed the two leaders beginning with a traditional, vigorous handshake that almost evolved into an embrace, characterized by firm grips and sustained eye contact.
The Prolonged Grip and Counter-Move
The dramatic moment occurred when President Macron attempted to disengage first, but was reportedly held firmly by President Trump. For observers, the prolonged duration went far beyond standard diplomatic protocol.
The most notable detail was President Macron’s final, visible effort to pull away: he had to place his hand on the US President’s forearm, often interpreted as a move to break the dominant grip and regain control of the encounter. This "arm grab" is frequently analyzed as a defensive counter-move in a non-verbal contest.
The intense, prolonged nature of the handshake led many observers and social media commentators to label the interaction as a non-verbal "wrestling match" or a display of dominance during a high-stakes meeting, such as the Gaza peace summit. Others, however, simply categorized it as another instance of the traditional, highly assertive handshakes often favored by President Trump, which he frequently uses as a public assertion of strength.
Part of a Pattern: Trump's Diplomatic Handshakes
The long handshake with Macron is consistent with a broader pattern observed in President Trump's interactions with various world leaders, where handshakes often serve as a diplomatic power play:
2017: The pair famously engaged in a handshake that lasted an even longer 29 seconds during their first encounter, signaling a competitive, yet engaged, relationship dynamic from the start.
2018: They were involved in multiple grips, one of which was reportedly so tight that President Macron’s thumb print was visibly indented on President Trump’s hand afterward, highlighting the sheer force applied.
Other Leaders: Similar lengthy and dominant handshakes have been noted with figures like former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, suggesting a deliberate, unconventional diplomatic style.
The incident underscores the unconventional and often physically assertive diplomatic approach that has characterized the relationship between the American and French leaders, turning a simple gesture of greeting into a scrutinized moment of political theatre.
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