Trump, French President Macron engage in tug-of-war handshake at White House

President Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron shared a firm and lengthy handshake outside the Oval Office on Monday ahead of a bilateral meeting expected to be dominated by Russia’s war on Ukraine.

After the initial grip-and-grin, accompanied by mutual pats on the shoulder, the American president pulled his French counterpart close in to continue the greeting. Trump and Macron then waved to the assembled media and shared a few words before ducking inside the West Wing.

The meeting is Trump’s first in-person appearance with Macron since the two last met in Paris in December alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for the reopening of historic Notre Dame Cathedral.

During that Paris meeting, Trump surprised Macron with the strength of his handshake, almost dragging the French head of state along with him.