Trump, French president share intense handshake

President Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron shared an intense handshake Thursday after meeting for the first time at a NATO meeting in Brussels.

“The two presidents, each wearing dark suits and blue ties (Trump’s was thick and royal blue; Macron’s was skinny and navy) sat in antique cream-upholstered arm chairs, with two American and French flags behind them,” a reporter traveling with Trump said. 

{mosads}“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.”

“We have a lot to discuss, including terrorism and other things,” Trump said before heading into a working lunch with his French counterpart.

The moment has since gone viral.

.@realDonaldTrump and French President Emmanuel Macron joined hands in a firm grip as they posed for pictures at the U.S. embassy, Brussels. pic.twitter.com/QV5tkUbLoS

— Stephen Crowley (@Stcrow) May 25, 2017

Oh my. White House pooler @PhilipRucker‘s view of the Trump – Macron handshake in Brussels: knuckles turned white and faces tightened. pic.twitter.com/z16dpIfWhb

— Philip Crowther (@PhilipinDC) May 25, 2017

Macron plays the Trump handshake game well. Looks like POTUS wanted to disengage at one point but French president gripped tight https://t.co/V45Ko2vumE

— Jonathan Lemire (@JonLemire) May 25, 2017

This is not the first prolonged handshake between Trump and a foreign leader.

Trump made a point to extend his handshakes with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during their White House visits earlier this year. 

An honor to host Prime Minister @AbeShinzo in the United States. pic.twitter.com/f6TvfZ6sMj

— President Trump (@POTUS) February 10, 2017

Pres. Trump and Canadian PM Justin Trudeau shake hands in the Oval Office https://t.co/dZ5dNUihd0 pic.twitter.com/SnKFjVWuKA

— CNN (@CNN) February 13, 2017