POWER SHAKE
Emmanuel Macron shakes Donald Trump’s hand so hard he leaves a THUMB PRINT as bitter rivals meet for D-Day anniversary
EMMANUEL Macron has shaken Donald Trump’s hand so hard that he left a thumb print mark on it.
Pictures show the US president grimacing as his French counterpart got him in a vice-like grip when the two met during the D-Day commemorations.
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After the pair sat down, Marcon looked straight at the US president, then shook his hand and judging by the look on his face, Trump wasn’t comfortable.
After they broke off, the President looked to the side as he appeared slightly taken aback by the force of the handshake.
Pictures later revealed a thumb imprint on Trump’s hand.
The two leaders had earlier embraced warmly as they arrived at a US war cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach.
Some 2,500 American troops were killed there by German gunners and artillery on June 6, 1944, the first day of the Allied effort to drive the Nazis out of France.
Macron said "France doesn't forget" what the soldiers sacrificed for his country's liberty from Nazi Germany.
"We know what we owe to you veterans - our freedom. On behalf of my nation, I just want to say, thank you," he said.
FIERCE GRIP
Trump and Macron then travelled separately to Caen, France, for a meeting – and handshake - and lunch before Trump returned to his golf course in Ireland.
Macron has form for his fierce handshakes with Donald Trump.
At the height of what many thought was a strange burgeoning bromance between the pair, Macron shook his hand for a full 25 seconds at Bastille Day celebrations on in 2017.
Then last year, the US president’s right hand was left with noticeable pale patches from Macron's steely shake at the G7 summit in Canada.
The French leader even winked for photos as he gripped the President's hand while Trump wore a more stern expression as he looked downward.
Body language expert examines the power shake
By Judi James
These two leaders do have history when it comes to competitive power-shakes.
At their first meeting Macron appeared to have studied Trump and his tendency to out-alpha other world leaders via his 1980’style power-shakes that involved a firm grip, often with Trump’s hand held horizontal, and the odd jerk or yank to make the recipient feel off-balance.
Macron employed a stronger grip plus a thumb clamp and used such strong eye contract that Trump was forced to blink first and look away.
Here the game is similar.
The pair talk about their ‘special relationship’ before throwing their hands into an strong and energetic shake with Macron holding on so tightly that it seems the skin of Trump’s hand turns white where his fingers leave a mark.
Trump appears to pull his hand away first and the unspoken impact between the two men would have been even greater than it looks to the camera.
Trump is a taller, older, heavyweight alpha but Macron’s use of this power-shake would establish him as an equal and new, younger wannabe alpha on the block.
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President Trump later said of Macron: "We have a very really good relationship, very special".
In 2018, Donald Trump gushed that his apparent love-in with Macron "is not fake news" as he brushed "dandruff" from the French President's jacket - saying "he's perfect".
He even held hands with the French leader – echoing the scene in January last year with him and Prime Minister Theresa May.
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