French president Macron trumps Trump's tug-and-hold handshake

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LEFT: Donald Trump speaks to reporters in Washington, March 21, 2016. REUTERS/Jim Bourg; CENTRE: A close-up of the Trump-Macron handshake before a working lunch ahead of NATO Summit in Brussels, Belgium, May 25, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst; RIGHT: Emmanuel Macron delivers an address in London, Britain, February 21, 2017. REUTERS/Toby Melville.
LEFT: Donald Trump speaks to reporters in Washington, March 21, 2016. REUTERS/Jim Bourg; CENTRE: A close-up of the Trump-Macron handshake before a working lunch ahead of NATO Summit in Brussels, Belgium, May 25, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst; RIGHT: Emmanuel Macron delivers an address in London, Britain, February 21, 2017. REUTERS/Toby Melville.
 

A handshake is one of the ways a person makes their first impression and US President Donald Trump is obviously a firm believer of this thought.

Trump met the newly-elected French President Emmanuel Macron right before the NATO summit on Thursday and the meeting offered a sneak peek into how the US-French relations may pan out in future.

So let’s take a look at their handshake!

The American President makes sure to meet at least one new leader every two or three weeks so he can add a new handshake to his constantly expanding collection of awkward but well-documented handshakes.

French president Macron trumps Trumps tug-and-hold handshake

'I know what you're gonna do!'

French president Macron trumps Trumps tug-and-hold handshake

'I'm fully aware of what's coming'

French president Macron trumps Trumps tug-and-hold handshake

'Haha, gotcha!'

French president Macron trumps Trumps tug-and-hold handshake

According to The Washington Post’s Phillip Rucker, who watched the two leaders greet each other in person, “their knuckles turned white, their jaws clenched, and their faces tightened. Trump reached in first, but then he tried to release, twice, but Macron kept his grip until letting go.”

A combination photo shows US President Donald Trump (L) trying twice to let go of a handshake with Frances President Emmanuel Macron (R) as Macron holds tight, before a working lunch ahead of a NATO Summit in Brussels, Belgium, May 25, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
A combination photo shows US President Donald Trump (L) trying twice to let go of a handshake with France's President Emmanuel Macron (R) as Macron holds tight, before a working lunch ahead of a NATO Summit in Brussels, Belgium, May 25, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
 

Needless to say, the businessman-turned-President always attempts to imply that he holds more power. Or maybe it is just a war of wills.

Trump’s handshakes have gained popularity around the world for being longer than expected and depicting his signature tug-shake-tug-some-more move.

On the other hand, Trump notoriously ignored German Chancellor Angela Merkel's offer of a handshake.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau seems to have gotten the hang of it.

Oh and someone in the past totally blocked Trump's offer to shake hands!

However, by now, most of the leaders are well-prepared for the tug so it seems that Trump’s technique has started to fail.