In the latest in the saga that is the world’s fascination with the way in which US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron shake hands, a picture showing an imprint of the Frenchman’s thumb on the American’s hand post-handshake has lit up the internet.
The two met during the G7 summit in Charlevoix, Canada this week for an annual meeting between seven of the world’s largest economic powers.
During their encounter, reporters asked them tough policy questions like, “who would win in an arm wrestling competition”.
They shook hands multiple times, and a photographer snapped a shot of the thumb imprint after one of those handshake.
The attention that photo has gotten is not unusual, even if it does suggest a fascination with the way in which leaders of two of the most powerful countries in the world greet each other and perform a traditional ritual for recognizing the presence of another human being in the western world.
Generally speaking, the handshakes — including their length and the amount of give or take either man gives — are interpreted through the prism of power dynamics between the two, with Mr Trump particularly being known for his desire and attempts to dominate most circumstances he encounters.
The two have notably shook hands during all of their previous encounters.
They shook hands last year when Mr Trump visited France on invitation from Mr Macron to celebrate Bastille Day, for instance. They shook hands when Mr Macron visited Washington on invitation from Mr Trump for the US leader’s first state dinner. They did it when they first met, even.
The two leaders have projected a friendly relationship with one another, even as observers speculate about power dynamics when they shake hands.
