The Hidden Meaning Behind Trump’s Strange Handshakes

A routine visit between Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minster Justin Trudeau on Monday quickly went viral after the two men shared an awkward handshake.

The two leaders met for the first time at the White House to discuss trade between the respective countries, and while they were sitting side-by-side in front of the press, Trump tried to break the ice. “I think they might want a handshake,” he told Trudeau, while reaching out his hand. In what was surely one photographer’s image of the year, Trudeau glanced at the president’s offering, seemingly with disdain, while the president’s hand hung awkwardly in the breeze.

To be fair, he two men had a cordial greeting outside the White House and, as Mashable points out, the video of that exchange is more forgiving. Still, the Internet was unrelenting.

Making matters worse, on Friday, a handshake between Trump and Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe, went viral after Trump continued the motion for a full 19 seconds. Once Abe was able to free his hands, he seemed to cringe and roll his eyes, while turning his body away from the president.

Trump is known for his aggressive greeting style, which involves shooting his hand toward the other person and jerking it up and down with force. It’s an odd move, considering his fixation on cleanliness (during a January press conference, he confessed to being a “germaphobe”) and rumors of his alleged “small hands.”

“Both these handshakes really soured from the beginning,” Susan Constantine, a body language expert who trains law enforcement and the Department of Defense, tells Yahoo Beauty.

With Trudeau, Trump passively offers his hand, palm up, as if he’s asking the prime minster to dance. “Trump could have asserted himself by placing his hand on top,” she says. “Instead, he assumes a surrender position, which is incomprehensible.” Trudeau’s expression, she adds, is pure exasperation. “His lips are tightly pressed together with the corners pointing down. He seems to be withholding disdain for the moment.” Still, the prime minister is a good sport, and the two play along for the cameras.

In the case of Prime Minster Abe, Trump may have harbored good intentions, but the greeting wasn’t culturally appropriate, says Constantine. “In Asian countries, the handshake is gentler,” she says. “However, since the meeting took place in America, it was expected that the prime minster would adapt to a more confident handshake.”

What’s more, Trump pats the hand of the Japanese diplomat — a warm gesture reserved for a good friend — which could be perceived as patronizing or insincere. “Then Trump pulls Abe’s hand toward him in a long series of jerking motions, almost as if he’s trying to overcompensate for a loss of power,” says Constantine. The experience was likely unusual for Abe, who rolled his eyes and signaled to stand by placing his hands on the armrest of his chair.

“It’s important to learn cultural norms when traveling as a global leader,” says Constantine. “For example, Trump’s infamous thumb-up gesture when he steps off airplanes could be offensive, depending on who is present. It’s possible that the president wasn’t prepared well for these meetings.”

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