Shaking hands with President Trump

Of President Trump’s many unique mannerisms, one that stands out is his aggressive style of shaking hands, making his encounters with world leaders all the more closely-watched. In particular, his showdowns with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, have become spectacles in and of themselves.

When the two met for the first time at a NATO summit, a reporter in the room described the encounter with appropriate fervor: “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.”

Later, Macron told French newspaper Journal du Dimanche the intensity was intentional.

“My handshake with him – it wasn’t innocent,” Macron said. “It’s not the be-all and the end-all of a policy, but it was a moment of truth.”

More recently, after a Bastille Day parade in Paris, Trump and Macron had a similar encounter. While walking towards Trump’s motorcade, the two began shaking hands. Trump eventually yanked Macron’s arm, knocking him off balance. When French first lady Brigitte Macron approached, Trump greeted her with two kisses, all the while keep a firm grip on the French president. (Yahoo News)

See RELATED STORY by Gabby Kaufman/Yahoo News

See more news-related photo galleries and follow us on Yahoo News Photo Tumblr.