Social media users erupted over President-elect Trump's "dominating" handshake with French President Emmanuel Macron at their meeting in Paris Saturday.
Trump traveled to France to attend the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, his first international trip since winning the 2024 presidential election. Ahead of the event, Trump met Macron, and the two shook hands in a gesture that quickly went viral online.
"President Trump is back to dominating world leaders with his handshake," one user, George, wrote in a post on X. "Macron is going to need a hand massage after all that twisting and pulling Trump did to him."
"President Trump manhandles French President Emmanuel Macron with one of the most dominating handshakes I’ve ever seen," said commentator Drew Hernandez. "We are so back."
Colin Rugg wrote, "7 years later and the handshake battle continues between Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron."
During a meeting in 2017, during Trump's first term in office, the two world leaders had a 29-second handshake and appeared to be tugging back and forth as they walked with their wives.
"The Trump-Macron handshake is hilarious," author John Lefevre said in a post on X. "Because it happened twice. And you know Macron was told to prepare and probably practiced and then still got dominated."
Trump's handshakes with world leaders have gone viral over the years, including when he pulled in Russian President Putin's arm during a handshake at the G-20 Summit in 2019.
Trump attended the reopening ceremony alongside political figures, including first lady Jill Biden and Prince William.
President-elect Trump met with world leaders ahead of the reopening ceremony of the Notre Dame Cathedral as he steps back onto the global stage following his election victory.
Trump traveled to France on Saturday to attend the reopening of Notre Dame, the famous cathedral that suffered serious damage during a fire five years ago. The trip marks Trump's first international trip since he was elected to a second, non-consecutive term in office.
Trump's diplomacy was on full display during the trip as he met with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Presidential Palace in Paris. The pair was later joined by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
"It's a great honor for French people to welcome you five years later," Macron said of Trump. "And you were, at that time, president for the first time. And I remember the solidarity and your immediate action. So, welcome back again. We are very happy to have you here."
Trump is expected to meet with Prince William, who is attending the event in place of his father, King Charles III, after the ceremony, according to Kensington Palace.
President Biden is not expected to attend the event, however, First Lady Jill Biden will be present.
William was scheduled to meet with the First Lady at the UK residence in Paris, but due to weather, the meeting was canceled, and the two will meet at the ceremony.
President-elect Trump is in Europe this weekend for his first overseas trip since his convincing victory in last month's presidential election.
Trump will meet with Emmanuel Macron after the French president invited him to attend Saturday's star-studded VIP event for the official reopening of the newly restored Notre Dame Cathedral, five years after a devastating fire wrecked the centuries-old Paris landmark.
First Lady Jill Biden will also attend the ceremonies, but it's Trump who will be holding court with world leaders.
The president-elect's appearance will serve as Trump's unofficial return to the global stage, and it is another reminder that he is quickly becoming the center of the world's attention.
"This is without question a major moment in French history and the fact that Macron wanted to share it with Trump speaks to the significance of what Trump is achieving even before he gets to the Oval Office again, said Brett Bruen, a public affairs and strategic communications veteran, and former U.S. diplomat who served under both Democratic and Republican administrations.
"He is being feted quite literally in Paris with all the glitz and glamour," Bruen, president of the Global Situation Room, added.
And Bruen and other analysts give credit to Macron for inviting Trump to this weekend's festivities.
"This is a really smart move by Macron to get things rolling in the right direction when it comes to U.S.-French relations under Trump," he said. "But let's also not forget the fact that Macron is both badly weakened in his own country and on the European continent…[Macron] may see in Trump an opportunity to restore his lost luster as the European leader who can most effectively engage with the new American president."
Trump has taken a slew of calls in the weeks since the November election from international leaders congratulating him on his White House victory.
The trip to Paris comes a week after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hastily made an unannounced stop in Mar-a-Lago to dine with Trump after the president-elect threatened a trade war with Canada and Mexico.
Trump argued that Canada had failed to prevent large amounts of drugs and undocumented people from crossing the northern border into the U.S. and also pointed to America's massive trade deficit with Canada.
According to reporting from Fox News' Bret Baier, Trump suggested to Trudeau that Canada could become the 51st state.
Trump has also weighed in recently on a number of international conflicts. In the volatile Middle East, the president-elect warned this week in a social media post that there would be "ALL HELL TO PAY" if Hamas does not release all the hostages held in Gaza before he is inaugurated on Jan. 20.
News of Trump's invitation to Paris came earlier this week as President Biden was on a history-making trip to Angola, as he became the first American president to visit the sub-Saharan African nation.
But Biden, likely on his last overseas trip before Trump takes over in the White House next month, is already being overshadowed on the world stage by his predecessor and successor.
"While President-elect [Trump] is still weeks away from taking the oath of office, loyalties and the attention of world leaders has shifted to the incoming President and from Washington to Mar-a-lago with breathtaking speed," Wayne Lesperance, a veteran political scientist and president of New England College, told Fox News.
Matt Mowers, a veteran GOP national public affairs strategist and former diplomat at the State Department during Trump's first administration, made the case that "Biden’s essentially been a lame duck" for months and that "world leaders have been shifting their gaze to the next administration.
While members of the Biden White House would likely disagree with such sentiments - especially after the current administration played a large role in hammering out the cease-fire that halted fighting in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah - it is undeniable that world leaders have already started to engage directly with the incoming president and administration.
While the spotlight traditionally shifts from the outgoing to the incoming president, Mowers argued that "it is more pronounced this time because the difference in the Biden and Trump approach to foreign policy is so different."
Mowers emphasized that Trump is already aiming "to shape world events" by "being bold, not timid, in the statements he’s putting out, and the world is already reacting to that kind of American strength."
"World leaders that want to get something done… have to engage with Trump," he added.
Matthew Bartlett, a Republican strategist who served at the State Department during Trump's first term, told Fox News that "the world is demanding leadership" and that "the Oval Office has been replaced by Mar-a-Lago."
Lesperance, pointing to Biden's swing through Africa, noted that lame duck presidents' final weeks are "usually filled with celebratory moments and efforts to cement one’s legacy. Often the focus is on their role on the world stage on behalf of America and its allies.'
However, he argued that "Biden’s pronouncements on Ukraine, Gaza and the importance of climate change go largely ignored by world leaders. Instead, they focus on Trump’s picks for his foreign policy team and pronouncements about changes in U.S. foreign policy position. It’s pretty evident that while Biden attempts a victory tour, the world has turned the page."
President-elect Donald Trump will be in France this weekend to celebrate the reopening of the famed Notre Dame Cathedral alongside several world leaders, marking his first foreign trip following his election victory last month.
Trump announced his plan on Monday to attend the celebratory reopening on his social media app Truth Social, which comes five years after a fire devastated the cathedral in 2019. The 700-million-euro restoration project was funded by donations from 150 countries and involved the application of carpentry methods dating back to the 13th century. Sources familiar with the president-elect's plans told Fox News that Trump's attendance was at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron.
Security will be tight for the invite-only festivities that are set to begin Saturday afternoon, Paris Police Chief Laurent Nuñez said in an interview published by French media outlet Le Parisien. He said many of the measures will mimic those deployed during the Paris Olympics.
Nuñez also indicated that about 50 heads of state would be in attendance but did not specify whom or from which countries. President Biden, however, is not expected to attend, but first lady Jill Biden will be there.
Macron was the first foreign leader to congratulate Trump after his election win over Vice President Kamala Harris, CNN reported. The pair's relationship heading into Trump's second term will build on what the two established during Trump's first term.
While the two traded barbs during Trump's first term in the White House, Macron has shown a level of deference – at times – toward Trump that other NATO leaders have not. Reporters have described the pair's relationship as a "bromance," and in 2017, the two participated in a Bastille Day military parade in Paris aimed at highlighting the longstanding alliance between France and the U.S.
Trump's push to get other NATO countries to contribute more money to defense efforts – and his overall skepticism of the alliance – has been a point of contention between Trump and other NATO leaders. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, for instance, clashed with Trump over his claims Germany was not contributing enough to NATO's defense efforts.
During a NATO summit in 2019, a cohort of global leaders, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, then-British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, then-Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and France's Macron, were caught on a hot-mic seemingly making fun of Trump for engaging in long, rambling press conferences. The year prior, during a speech at the U.N., audible laughter could be heard after he said his administration had accomplished more in its first two years than any other administration in history.
However, heading into Trump's second term, world leaders seem to be aware of the importance of forging a good relationship with him. Just last week, Trudeau traveled to Trump's Florida resort after the president-elect threatened to slap tariffs on Canadian products over concerns about illegal immigration.
Earlier this week, new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hailed Britain's and the U.S.' "special relationship," before recalling when the president-elect "graciously hosted me for dinner in Trump Tower," during an annual banquet hosted by the Lord Mayor of London.
Trump's arrival in the French capital coincides with Macron's strategic efforts to stabilize a government in turmoil. Following the ousting of his prime minister through a no-confidence vote, Macron now confronts increasing demands for his own resignation.
President Biden is returning to the White House after a history-making trip to Angola this week, as Biden became the first American president to visit the sub-Saharan African nation.
But Biden, likely on his last overseas trip before President-elect Donald Trump takes over in the White House next month, is already being overshadowed on the world stage by his predecessor and successor.
"While President-elect is still weeks away from taking the oath of office, loyalties and the attention of world leaders has shifted to the incoming President and from Washington to Mar-a-lago with breathtaking speed," Wayne Lesperance, a veteran political scientist and president of New England College, told Fox News.
Matt Mowers, a veteran GOP national public affairs strategist and former diplomat at the State Department during Trump's first administration, made the case that "Joe Biden’s essentially been a lame duck" for months and that "world leaders have been shifting their gaze to the next administration."
While members of the Biden White House would likely disagree with such sentiments - especially after the current administration played a large role in hammering out the cease-fire that halted fighting in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah - it is undeniable that world leaders have already started to engage directly with the incoming president and administration.
Trump will meet with French President Emmanuel Macron after the French president invited him to attend Saturday's star-studded VIP event for the official reopening of the newly restored Notre Dame Cathedral, five years after a devastating fire wrecked the Paris landmark.
The president-elect's appearance will serve as Trump's unofficial return to the global stage, and it is another reminder that he is quickly becoming the center of the world's attention.
The trip to Paris comes a week after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hastily made an unannounced stop in Mar-a-Lago to dine with Trump after the president-elect threatened a trade war with Canada and Mexico.
Trump argued that Canada had failed to prevent large amounts of drugs and undocumented people from crossing the northern border into the U.S. and also pointed to America's massive trade deficit with Canada.
According to reporting from Fox News' Bret Baier, Trump suggested to Trudeau that Canada could become the 51st state.
Trump also weighed in this week in the volatile Middle East, warning in a social media post that there would be "ALL HELL TO PAY" if Hamas does not release all the hostages held in Gaza before he is inaugurated on Jan. 20.
Hours later, Trump pledged to block the purchase of U.S. Steel - a top American manufacturer - by the Japanese company Nippon Steel.
"I am totally against the once great and powerful U.S. Steel being bought by a foreign company, in this case Nippon Steel of Japan," Trump said on social media. "As President, I will block this deal from happening."
Trump, who reiterated comments he made earlier this year on the presidential campaign trail, is on the same page as Biden, who has vowed that U.S. Steel will remain American-owned.
Biden's trip to Africa is putting a spotlight on his administration's commitment to the continent, which has increasingly been courted by massive investments from China. Biden is also highlighting America's wide-ranging effort to combat HIV/AIDS in Africa, a continent Trump never visited during his first term in the White House.
However, the president's trip was overshadowed by Trump's upcoming stop in France, as the president-elect is increasingly courted by world leaders.
While the spotlight traditionally shifts from the outgoing to the incoming president, Mowers argued that "it is more pronounced this time because the difference in the Biden and Trump approach to foreign policy is so different."
Mowers emphasized that Trump is already aiming "to shape world events" by "being bold, not timid, in the statements he’s putting out, and the world is already reacting to that kind of American strength."
"World leaders that want to get something done… have to engage with Trump," he added.
Matthew Bartlett, a Republican strategist who served at the State Department during Trump's first term, told Fox News that "the world is demanding leadership" and that "the Oval Office has been replaced by Mar-a-Lago."
Lesperance, pointing to Biden's swing through Africa, noted that lame duck presidents' final weeks are "usually filled with celebratory moments and efforts to cement one’s legacy. Often the focus is on their role on the world stage on behalf of America and its allies.'
However, he argued that "Biden’s pronouncements on Ukraine, Gaza and the importance of climate change go largely ignored by world leaders. Instead, they focus on Trump’s picks for his foreign policy team and pronouncements about changes in U.S. foreign policy position. It’s pretty evident that while Biden attempts a victory tour, the world has turned the page."
President Biden enjoyed a warm welcome from a crowd of thousands as he arrived in Angola this week, as the president made good on his long awaited first visit to sub-Saharan Africa.
Biden, likely on his last overseas trip before President-elect Donald Trump takes over in the White House next month, is already being overshadowed on the world stage by his predecessor and successor.
"The Oval Office has been replaced by Mar-a-Lago," Matthew Bartlett, a Republican strategist who served at the State Department during Trump's first term, told Fox News.
Additionally, Matt Mowers, a veteran GOP national public affairs strategist and former diplomat at the State Department during Trump's first administration, made the case that "Joe Biden’s essentially been a lame duck" for months and that "world leaders have been shifting their gaze to the next administration."
Wayne Lesperance, a veteran political scientist and president of New England College, highlighted that "while President-elect is still weeks away from taking the oath of office, loyalties and the attention of world leaders has shifted to the incoming President and from Washington to Mar-a-lago with breathtaking speed."
While members of the Biden White House would likely disagree with such sentiments - especially after the current administration played a large role in hammering out the cease-fire that halted fighting in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah - it is undeniable that world leaders have already started to engage directly with the incoming president and administration.
Trump will meet with French President Emmanuel Macron after the French president invited him to attend Saturday's star-studded VIP event for the official reopening of the newly restored Notre Dame Cathedral, five years after a devastating fire wrecked the Paris landmark.
The president-elect's appearance will serve as Trump's unofficial return to the global stage, and it is another reminder that he is quickly becoming the center of the world's attention.
The trip to Paris comes a week after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hastily made an unannounced stop in Mar-a-Lago to dine with Trump after the president-elect threatened a trade war with Canada and Mexico.
Trump argued that Canada had failed to prevent large amounts of drugs and undocumented people from crossing the northern border into the U.S. and also pointed to America's massive trade deficit with Canada.
According to reporting from Fox News' Bret Baier, Trump suggested to Trudeau that Canada could become the 51st state.
Trump also weighed in this week in the volatile Middle East, warning in a social media post that there would be "ALL HELL TO PAY" if Hamas does not release all the hostages held in Gaza before he is inaugurated on Jan. 20.
Hours later, Trump pledged to block the purchase of U.S. Steel - a top American manufacturer - by the Japanese company Nippon Steel.
"I am totally against the once great and powerful U.S. Steel being bought by a foreign company, in this case Nippon Steel of Japan," Trump said on social media. "As President, I will block this deal from happening."
Trump, who reiterated comments he made earlier this year on the presidential campaign trail, is on the same page as Biden, who has vowed that U.S. Steel will remain American-owned.
Biden's trip to Africa is putting a spotlight on his administration's commitment to the continent, which has increasingly been courted by massive investments from China. Biden is also highlighting America's wide-ranging effort to combat HIV/AIDS in Africa, a continent Trump never visited during his first term in the White House.
However, the president's trip will be overshadowed by Trump's upcoming stop in France, as the president-elect is increasingly courted by world leaders.
While the spotlight traditionally shifts from the outgoing to the incoming president, Mowers argued that "it is more pronounced this time because the difference in the Biden and Trump approach to foreign policy is so different."
Mowers emphasized that Trump is already aiming "to shape world events" by "being bold, not timid, in the statements he’s putting out, and the world is already reacting to that kind of American strength."
Bartlett noted that "the world is demanding leadership." Mowers added that "world leaders that want to get something done… have to engage with Trump."
Lesperance, pointing to Biden's swing through Africa, noted that lame duck presidents' final weeks are "usually filled with celebratory moments and efforts to cement one’s legacy. Often the focus is on their role on the world stage on behalf of America and its allies.'
However, he argued that "Biden’s pronouncements on Ukraine, Gaza and the importance of climate change go largely ignored by world leaders. Instead, they focus on Trump’s picks for his foreign policy team and pronouncements about changes in U.S. foreign policy position. It’s pretty evident that while Biden attempts a victory tour, the world has turned the page."
