Donald Trump awkwardly shook hands with the French president during a visit to Paris to celebrate the reopening of Notre Dame.
The President-elect met with President Macron as part of the ceremony commemorating the renovation of the iconic cathedral, which was destroyed by a devastating fire in 2019.
The leaders embraced each other warmly, if not entirely gracefully, during their meeting at the Élysée Palace, Macron’s official residence.
The bizarre gesture, described by online commentators as a “power move”, saw Trump “dominate” Macron by grabbing his hand from above as the two posed for photos.
Accepting the invitation earlier this week, Trump wrote that the French prime minister “has done a fantastic job ensuring that Notre Dame is restored to its full glory, and even more.” It will be a very special day for everyone!’
He landed at Orly Airport in Paris on Saturday morning and, according to the French national police, has more than 20 French government security agents working with the secret service to help ensure his safety.
A special French police van also provided anti-drone protection for Trump’s convoy.
Donald Trump awkwardly shook hands with the French president during a visit to Paris to celebrate the reopening of Notre Dame
Trump was invited to the ceremony commemorating the renovation of the iconic cathedral, which was destroyed by a devastating fire in 2019
“President Trump is back to dominating world leaders with his handshake,” someone wrote on X.
“Macron needs a hand massage after all the twisting and pulling Trump has done to him.”
“Seven years later, the handshake battle between Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron continues,” another noted.
Security is tighter than usual outside the US Embassy and other locations in Paris due to the grand reopening of Notre Dame, where dozens of international VIPs are expected.
Macron, who has had an up-and-down relationship with Trump, has made a point of cultivating ties with the newly elected president since he defeated Vice President Kamala Harris last month.
But his office nonetheless downplayed the significance of the invitation, saying other politicians not currently holding office had also been invited.
Trump was invited as president-elect of a “friendly nation,” Macron’s office said, adding: “This is not exceptional in any way, we have done it before.”
President Joe Biden was also invited, but will not attend. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre cited a scheduling conflict and said his wife, Jill Biden, will represent the US instead.
It will be the second time Trump and the first lady have crossed paths since the election.
The Bidens received Trump and his wife Melania at the White House for the traditional meeting between outgoing and incoming presidents.
Trump’s visit to France comes as Macron and other European leaders try to win the president-elect’s favor and convince him to maintain support for Ukraine to defend against Russia’s three-year invasion.
The dignitaries greeted each other enthusiastically, but with an unusual grip on their handshake
Notre Dame officially reopened on Saturday after six years of renovation
Before the Notre Dame event, Trump will meet with Macron and Britain’s Prince William, who will also meet with Jill Biden, according to the British royal palace.
Macron will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday. Trump also met with Zelenskyy and the two shook hands.
The president-elect has vowed to quickly end the war in Ukraine but has not specified how, raising concerns in Kiev about the terms of any future negotiations.
In an effort to build trust with the new US administration, Zelenskyy’s top aide Andriy Yermak met key members of Trump’s team during a two-day trip earlier this week.
A senior Ukrainian official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly, described the meetings as productive but declined to reveal details.
Relations between France and the US during Trump’s first term started off warm enough but became increasingly tense over time.
Macron was guest of honor at Trump’s first state dinner and Trump traveled to France several times. But the relationship took a turn for the worse after Macron criticized Trump for questioning the need for NATO and raising doubts about America’s commitment to the mutual defense pact.
During his campaign this year, Trump has often mocked Macron, imitating his accent and threatening to impose high tariffs on wine and champagne bottles shipped to the US. if France tried to tax American companies.
The Gothic masterpiece was destroyed by fire on April 15, 2019
Trump praised Macron for doing ‘a great job of ensuring Notre Dame is restored to its full glory’ ahead of visit
But Macron was one of the first world leaders to congratulate Trump after the election last month.
Trump was president in 2019 when a massive fire engulfed Notre Dame, causing the spire to collapse and threatening to destroy one of the world’s greatest architectural treasures, known for its mesmerizing stained glass windows.
“So terrible to see the massive fire at Notre Dame in Paris,” he wrote on what was then called Twitter, offering his advice to the city.
“Maybe flying water tankers could be used to put it out. Must act quickly!’ he wrote.
French officials appeared to respond shortly afterwards, noting that “all means” were used to extinguish the flames, “except water bombing which, if used, could lead to the collapse of the entire structure of the cathedral.”
Last weekend, Trump announced that he wants to nominate real estate developer Charles Kushner, the father of his son-in-law Jared Kushner, as ambassador to France. Predecessors in that prestigious role include Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson.