Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron's Viral 27-Second 'Arm Wrestling' Handshake at Gaza Peace Summit

Emmanuel Macron traveled to Egypt on Monday to demonstrate his support for a ceasefire in Gaza.

US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron revived their famously lengthy and unusual handshake ritual during the Gaza peace summit in Egypt. The leaders engaged in a prolonged 27-second handshake while posing for photographs, pulling at each other's arms and adjusting their grips throughout the interaction.

Their visibly awkward handshake has gone viral across social media platforms, with many users noting that Trump and Macron appeared to be engaged in what looked like an 'arm wrestling' contest as they greeted one another at Monday's peace summit.

One X user shared the video with the comment, "Trump defeated Macron in a political arm wrestling. I knew he could take Macron, that is child's play."

#Watch | Trump And Macron's Viral 'Arm Wrestling' Moment In Egypt

Another user on X commented, "Trump and Macron had an arm wrestling match. The presidents' meeting took place at the summit in Cairo on Gaza."

The viral footage shows Trump initiating a handshake with the French President before both placed an affectionate hand on each other's upper arm for photographs. The friendly embrace quickly evolved into something resembling an arm wrestling match, with both presidents swinging each other's hands from side to side while engaged in intense conversation.

Macron eventually managed to free himself from Trump's grasp before hurriedly leaving the stage. The footage evoked memories of their 2017 interaction, when the two leaders locked hands for an extraordinary 29 seconds, with neither willing to display any sign of weakness.

Over the past eight years, the relationship between Trump and Macron, often characterized by these enthusiastic handshakes, has captured the attention of global observers. In February, when they met in Washington, DC to discuss potential resolutions to Russia's war against Ukraine, their awkward handshake drew significant attention from onlookers.

Macron's Monday visit to Egypt was intended to express support for the Trump-backed ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. His visit comes at a crucial moment as global leaders unite around efforts to end the conflict and establish foundations for long-term peace in the region.