Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron were involved in a confrontational handshake at an event marking the conclusion of the Israel-Hamas conflict. The two leaders engaged in a tense handshake for nearly half a minute as they were photographed at a summit in Egypt to discuss peace efforts in the Middle East.
According to a professional lip reader, Trump and Macron exchanged subtle threats and accusations before agreeing to continue their conversation privately. Macron seemed to suggest handling the matter behind closed doors, to which Trump responded by implying he had the upper hand. Macron then hinted at upcoming developments in their discussion.
The interaction between the two leaders was described as part of a series of strained encounters, including a previous incident in which Trump reportedly left Macron waiting at the White House entrance. The handshake took place during a summit hosted by Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, aimed at resolving the conflict in Gaza and promoting regional security.
Twenty global leaders attended the summit, representing countries such as Qatar, Palestine, Turkey, Spain, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Norway, along with delegates from the United Nations and European Council. Israeli officials and Hamas representatives were notably absent from the event.
A lip reader noted that the prolonged handshake between Trump and Macron was a display of power dynamics through physical touch, with Trump attempting to assert dominance. Macron, on the other hand, appeared to seek de-escalation during the interaction, indicating a discrepancy between Trump’s words and body language.