A professional lip reader says President Donald Trump made a brief remark to France’s first lady during a notably long handshake at the G7 summit on Monday.
On Tuesday evening, French President Emmanuel Macron and Brigitte Macron greeted Trump on a G7-branded stage ahead of a working dinner and posed together for photographers.
Yet it was Brigitte Macron, not the French president, who quickly became the focal point of the moment.
She shared a warm greeting with Trump, who leaned in for a double cheek kiss — a customary form of welcome across much of Europe.
What drew the most attention, however, was not the kiss or the embrace, but a handshake that appeared to stretch on for about 14 seconds and was described by some as a “tug of war.”
According to lip reader Nicola Hickling, Trump then told President Macron: “I’m ready for tonight.”
After grabbing French President Emmanuel Macron’s hand, Donald Trump gave it a firm tug and a squeeze before saying, rather matter-of-factly, ‘pleasure.’
‘Hello, sweetheart,’ Trump tells Brigitte, according to Hickling. ‘Happy birthday,’ the First Lady of France fired back.
Donald Trump shook French First Lady Brigitte Macron’s hand for about 14 seconds as French President Emmanuel Macron looked on, overshadowed by the US President
Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron stand together as they greet world leaders
President Macron, standing between his wife and Trump, appeared eager for the US President’s attention as the Republican fixated on Brigitte.
‘Macron clapped Trump on the arm in a gesture of friendship and looked keen to engage in something a little more like a bonding ritual, but Trump slid straight past him to engage with Brigitte with a much warmer show of enthusiasm and affection, throwing his arms out with his mouth open to lean in and kiss her on both cheeks,’ body language expert Judi James told the Daily Mail.
‘Macron looked desperate to join in here, clapping Trump on the back and smiling as he squeezed himself in between as they stood in a close huddle,’ said James.
Liberal journalist Aaron Rupar likened the Trump-Brigitte shake to a ‘tug of war.’
After letting go of her hand for a picture, Trump then retook her hand once again and helped her off the G7 platform while sharing words with her as President Macron looked on smiling.
‘As Macron went to usher Trump towards the tent, Trump held onto Brigitte’s hand, even walking away holding hands with her while Macron danced attendance behind them,’ James pointed out.
Trump has spoken repeatedly of the French couple, remarking on how Brigitte once slapped President Macron in front of TV cameras and defending her gender after some of his MAGA supporters suggested conspiracies that she is a man.
‘I called up France, Macron, whose wife treats him extremely badly, (he is) still recovering from the right to the jaw,’ Trump remarked in April about a viral clip from last year showing the French President taking a slap to the face.
Trump joked about how Brigitte Macron slapped her husband last year, saying in April the French President is ‘still recovering from the right to the jaw’
The French President later said Trump’s words ‘weren’t elegant, and they weren’t up to par.’
That same month Trump defended Brigitte Macron from MAGA supporters who peddled conspiracies about the French First Lady’s gender.
”Crazy’ Candace Owens, who accuses the Highly Respected First Lady of France of being a man, when she is not, and will hopefully win lots of money in the ongoing lawsuit,’ Trump wrote in April.
‘Actually, to me, the First Lady of France is a far more beautiful woman than Candace, in fact, it’s not even close!’
Last year, the French couple submitted a defamation lawsuit against Owens over her baseless claims that Brigitte may be a man.
