President Donald Trump added to the growing lore of his handshakes with world leaders on Friday in France when he and French president Emmanuel Macron spent 29 seconds in a shake that turned into something much, much more.
Let’s go to the video tape! (God, I love Warner Wolf.)
The first 5 seconds
Macron gets the upper hand, literally, at the start. He also gets in a back pat. But, Trump flips the script at about the 4-second mark when he goes with the hand pat.
Second 6
The ‘tug and pull’! A Trump classic. And a preview of things to come!
Seconds 7-8
Macron seems to weather the initial tug and pull pretty well! But then — perhaps having over-compensated for the tug and pull — Macron loses his balance and sort of falls toward Trump. To his credit, Macron tires to transform it into a “I was just pointing at something” move. Kudos, sir. Or should I say, gloire.
Seconds 10-12
It’s these two seconds where this goes from a handshake to something much, much more. Macron goes for the hand pat but Trump goes totally next level going bro handshake OUT OF NOWHERE. (This SubReddit on “bro” handshakes is epic.) Or is it Macron who goes ‘bro’? I can’t tell because Macron obscures the camera shot.
Seconds 13-14
Trump goes for the lapel pat here. And please notice how close the two men are while they are mid bro handshake. I mean, it is TIGHT.
Second 16
Bro handshake with side-to-side lateral shaking! That’s incredible! That’s like witnessing a Triple Lindy.
Seconds 18-19
Trump bring Brigitte Macron into this thing. At second 19 he goes in for the cheek kiss. By the way, in case you were wondering, Trump and Emmanuel Macron are still bro hand-shaking.
Second 22
Trump and Brigitte Macron are now holding hands! I repeat: Trump and Brigitte Macron are now holding hands! And Trump and Emmanuel Macron are holding their bro-shake. Three-way handshake. Holy cow. This is truly eye-popping stuff.
Second 23
The look on Trump’s face. It’s so so good. I can’t get enough of it. I know it’s a darkhorse but it’s my favorite moment of the entire handshake.
Second 24
Macron (Emmanuel, that is) goes for the forearm pat in what I can only assume is an attempt to bring an end to all of this. But Trump is not dissuaded. In fact, he LEANS IN — while still holding both hands!
Second 26
Macron (again, Emmanuel) tries to end this thing — this time with a bicep pat.
Second 27
Trump, as always, finishes strong with his SECOND tug and pull of the handshake. And he tugged and pulled a bro handshake. Which is like skipping a double dog dare and going right to the triple dog dare.
Second 28
And with two small pats on the hand by Trump, it’s over. It’s all over.
What a time to be alive.
