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Donald Trump and handshakes

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Donald Trump's handshakes refers to his handshakes with world leaders since his inauguration as US President on 20 January 2017.[1]

The handshakes have been described by psychologists as a "tactical" move.[2]

It has been reported that some world leaders have "prepar[ed] for a handshake-showdown with the President."[2] Others have noted that Trump is a self-confessed “germaphobe” who once said handshakes were “barbaric”.[3]

Notable handshakes

  • French President Emmanuel Macron, Nato summit, May 2017, five seconds long,[3] "appeared to painfully twist [his] arm"[2]
  • Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, lasted 19 seconds; [2] visibly disconcerted Shinzo Abe[3] and "prompting a memorable eye-roll from the Japanese leader"[1]
  • Supreme Court Justice nominee Neil Gorsuch, nomination ceremony, "almost jerked... off his feet"[2], and "yank[ed] the judge towards him as if he were a pet dog on a leash"[1]
  • Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, February 2017, attracted attention for Trudeau's "notably strong, extended grip with Mr Trump"[2][3]
  • German Chancellor Angela Merkel, March 2017,[3][2] and Benjamin Netanyahu May 2017, media attention after missed handshakes[2]
  • Former Director of the FBI, James Comey, "pulled in Comey with that signature tug and an attempted hug" which was reported to have "appalled" Comey[1]

Explanation given by Donald Trump

Donald Trump explained his rationale for his style of handshakes, saying of his handshakes with French leader Emmanuel Macron, "He's a great guy — smart, strong, loves holding my hand."[4][5][6] He went on to say, "People don't realize he loves holding my hand. And that's good, as far as that goes."[7][8][9] Trump further explained, "I mean, really. He's a very good person. And a tough guy, but look, he has to be. I think he is going to be a terrific president of France. But he does love holding my hand."[10][11][12]

Reactions

French leader Emmanuel Macron commented of his handshake with Trump, "My handshake with him was not innocent."[13][14][15] He added, "We need to show that we won’t make small concessions, even symbolic ones, while not over-hyping things either."[16][17][18] Macron went further to comment on the dynamic of power expressed by world leaders: "Donald Trump, the Turkish president or the Russian president believe in the logic of the trial of strength, which doesn’t bother me. I don’t believe in the diplomacy of public invective, but in my bilateral dialogues, I don’t let anything pass, that is how we are respected."[19][20][21]

Analysis

CNN performed a second-by-second analysis of Donald Trump's handshake with French leader Emmanuel Macron.[22] CNN Editor-at-large Chris Cillizza wrote, "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."[22] The Guardian journalist Peter Collett commented, "Trump reminds people of his superior status is by patting them on the arm or back during or after the handshake, and if the other person is so bold as to pat him back, he trumps them by producing an additional, terminal pat."[23] Collett's fellow reporter at The Guardian, Moustafa Bayoumi wrote, "it really is beginning to look like you can read Donald Trump’s foreign policy by the bizarre ways that he shakes the hands of foreign leaders."[24] National Review journalist Noah Daponte-Smith commented, "the handshake between President Trump, visiting Paris for the occasion, and Emmanuel Macron, the recently elected French president. Trump has already achieved notoriety for his awkward handshakes, but this one is truly something to behold."[25] Daponte-Smith observed the attention placed on Trump's handshakes with other world leaders, "Trump’s conduct toward his fellow heads of state, both in one-on-one meetings and in larger groups, has become a topic of great interest over the last few months: His handshakes with Justin Trudeau, Angela Merkel, and Shinzo Abe have also attracted great attention".[25] New Statesman journalist Ruby Lott-Lavigna commented, "For President Trump, masculinity lies in the act of a handshake."[26] New Statesman analyzed different tactics used by Trump for different world leaders.[26]

Time provided a chronology of Trump's handshakes over time, noting, "Newly inaugurated French President Emmanuel Macron drew international headlines when his knuckles turned white during an intense handshake with President Donald Trump at the G-7 meeting".[27] Time observed, "Sometimes, a lack of a handshake says even more. The President drew similar fanfare when he declined to shake the hand of German Chancellor Angela Merkel when she visited the White House."[27] The Washington Post reporter Peter W. Stevenson commented, "Trump has a habit of sharing awkward, intense and sometimes downright strange handshakes with world leaders and U.S. officials."[28] Stevenson contacted St. John's University psychology department chair, professor William Chaplin, for behavioral analysis of Trump's handshakes.[29] Chaplin noted of his research, "People with good handshakes tended to be more outgoing, more socially at ease, less socially anxious".[29] VOA News analyzed a series of Trump handshakes, writing, "Since Trump took office on January 20, many world leaders, and even American politicians, have discovered they need to be ready for an unusual handshake from the U.S. president."[30] VOA News interviewed Success Signals author Patti Wood and Asheville, North Carolina mayor Esther Manheimer about the phenomenon.[30] Wood observed Trudeau attempted to turn the experience of his handshake with Trump into a "power handshake" by placing his hand on Trump's arm.[30] The New York Times reporter Katie Rogers noted, "Analyzing President Trump’s handshakes with world leaders has become something of a sport".[31] The New York Times consulted etiquette author Jacqueline Whitmore and body language instructor Chris Ulrich for expert analysis on Trumps handshakes with world leaders.[31] Ulrich noted, "The bottom line, is that in every one of these, Trump takes up real estate in other world leaders’ heads."[31] Whitmore analyzed Trump's handshake with Macron, "Looks like both men are in a battle to establish their dominance and control."[31]

  • Prime Minister Shinzō Abe, November 17, 2016
    Prime Minister Shinzō Abe, November 17, 2016
  • Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the White House, 13 February 2017
    Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the White House, 13 February 2017
  • Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Monday, March 20, 2017
    Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Monday, March 20, 2017
  • Lars Løkke Rasmussen in the Oval Office, March 30, 2017
    Lars Løkke Rasmussen in the Oval Office, March 30, 2017
  • Paolo Gentiloni during the 43rd G7 summit, 26 May 2017
    Paolo Gentiloni during the 43rd G7 summit, 26 May 2017

References

  1. ^ a b c d Freedland, Jonathan (May 28, 2017). "The Trump handshake: how world leaders are fighting back". The Guardian. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Shugerman, Emily (May 29, 2017). "Psychologists break down the mysteries of Donald Trump's handshake". The Independent. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Why Donald Trump's weird handshake matters". Financial Times. May 26, 2017. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  4. ^ "President Trump explains long handshakes, says Macron 'loves' holding his hand". AOL News. July 20, 2017. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  5. ^ Milford, Joseph. "Trump Explains Weird Handshakes With Macron: 'He Loves Holding My Hand'". Elite Daily. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  6. ^ Chavez, Aida (July 20, 2017). "Trump: Macron 'loves holding my hand'". The Hill. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  7. ^ Horton, Helena (July 20, 2017). "Donald Trump says 'smart' and 'strong' Emmanuel Macron 'loves holding my hand'". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  8. ^ Engel, Pamela (July 20, 2017). "Trump: French president Macron 'loves holding my hand'". Houston Chronicle. Business Insider. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  9. ^ Mezzofiore, Gianluca (July 20, 2017). "Donald Trump thinks Macron loves holding his hand and for once we kinda agree". Mashable. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  10. ^ Amalino, James (July 20, 2017). "Trump On Macron: 'People Don't Realize He Loves Holding My Hand'". CBS News Miami. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  11. ^ King, Laura (July 20, 2017). "Trump said he left his seat at G-20 dinner because the Japanese first lady spoke no English. She's pretty fluent". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  12. ^ Mascarenhas, Hyacinth (July 20, 2017). "'Putin will be jealous': Twitter mocks Trump after he proudly claims Macron 'loves holding my hand'". International Business Times. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  13. ^ Porter, Tom (May 28, 2017). "Emmanuel Macron says bone-crushing Donald Trump handshake was 'not innocent'". Newsweek. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  14. ^ Bolongaro, Kait (May 28, 2017). "Macron says long Trump handshake 'not innocent'". Politico. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  15. ^ Valente, Danielle (May 28, 2017). "Emmanuel Macron Reveals His Handshake With Donald Trump Was 'Not Innocent'". Elite Daily. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  16. ^ Pells, Rachael (May 28, 2017). "Emmanuel Macron speaks out about 'moment of truth' handshake with Donald Trump". The Independent. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  17. ^ "Macron says long handshake with Trump was 'not innocent'". CBS News. May 28, 2017. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  18. ^ "Macron: Unusually Long Trump Handshake Was 'Not Innocent'". The Daily Beast. May 28, 2017. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  19. ^ Henley, Jon (May 28, 2017). "Emmanuel Macron: my handshake with Trump was 'a moment of truth'". The Guardian. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  20. ^ Mortimer, Caroline (May 29, 2017). "Emmanuel Macron says Donald Trump is like Putin and Erdogan". The Independent.
  21. ^ Mulholland, Rory (May 28, 2017). "My handshake with Donald Trump is proof I'm no pushover, says Emmanuel Macron". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  22. ^ a b Cillizza, Chris (July 14, 2017). "A second-by-second analysis of the Trump-Macron handshake". CNN. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  23. ^ Collett, Peter (February 15, 2017). "What does Donald Trump's handshake say about him?". The Guardian. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  24. ^ Bayoumi, Moustafa (March 18, 2017). "What is it with Trump and handshakes? This is getting awkward". The Guardian. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  25. ^ a b Daponte-Smith, Noah (July 14, 2017). "Trump's Handshakes and the Personalization of Politics". National Review. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  26. ^ a b Lott-Lavigna, Ruby (February 14, 2017). "A brief history of Donald Trump's handshakes". New Statesman. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  27. ^ a b Abramson, Alana; Bachor, Kenneth (May 29, 2017). "A History of President Trump's Awkward Handshakes". Time. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  28. ^ Stevenson, Peter W. (February 10, 2017). "Trump and the art of the super-awkward handshake". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  29. ^ a b Stevenson, Peter W. (February 16, 2017). "What Trump's handshake might tell us about him". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  30. ^ a b c Friedell, Dan (June 18, 2017). "Is Trump Sending Messages with His Handshakes?". VOA News. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  31. ^ a b c d Rogers, Katie (July 14, 2017). "All the President's Handshakes". The New York Times. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
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