G7 Summit: Trump's 'limp' handshake with Macron draws attention
What's the story
United States President Donald Trump has come under fire for his "limp" handshake with French President Emmanuel Macron. The incident took place during the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains. The awkward greeting was a stark contrast to Trump's usual aggressive handshake style, as evidenced by his 14-second handshake with Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier. Social media users were quick to comment on the incident, with one user asking, "What kind of diplomatic handshake is this?"
Defense offered
'Perfect handshake': White House spokesperson defends Trump's handshake
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle defended the handshake, calling it "a perfect handshake." The White House has frequently stated his "decaying hand" is owing to his frequent handshaking. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has constantly asserted Trump is "a man of the people, and he meets more Americans and shakes their hands on a daily basis than any other President in history."
Twitter Post
Video of handshake
Trump, meeting with Macron, is losing his voice and talking about UFC pic.twitter.com/wcjM8DJCoM
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 15, 2026
Conversation details
Trump's UFC birthday talk with Macron
During their meeting, Trump reportedly boasted about the UFC cage match the night prior at the White House lawn. He claimed it was more popular than the World Cup and asked if Macron had seen it. "I called last night, very late last night to congratulate you because a French fighter won. I don't know, is that maybe more important than the World Cup?...To some people it might be." Macron replied he hadn't seen it live but had seen highlights.
Handshake history
Special session on Iran will be held
Macron also congratulated the president on the memorandum signing. Ahead of their meeting, a senior administration official said Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf all signed the deal. A special session on Iran will be held on Tuesday. Leaders from Egypt, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates are attending this session.