Awkward: The word that describes French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Trump’s White House
From Trump brushing dandruff off Macron to his awkward attempt to hold Melania’s hand, the visit was a basket of delight for talk show hosts.
French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte’s visit to the White House on Tuesday turned out to be an eventful and incredibly awkward day for US President Donald Trump. In turn, talk show hosts and social media comics had a field day.
The most painful moment to watch – we’ll go in order of most awkward to least – was certainly when Trump brushed dandruff off Macron’s shoulder (video above). The moment occurred when the pair were addressing the press at the Oval Office before a meeting.
“They’re all saying what a great relationship we have, and they’re actually correct,” Trump said to Macron. “We do have a very special relationship. In fact, I’ll get that little piece of dandruff off – we have to make him perfect. He is perfect.” And then Trump turned towards Macron, and brushed his shoulder. It happened.
But before Trump attempted this puzzling display of dominance MSNBC’s cameras captured another excruciating moment for the US President. This time he was trying yet again to take his wife Melania’s hand. Let’s just say Trump really tried his best. She resisted with all her might (video below), but ultimately Trump succeeded, though only after some fumbling fuelled by a never-say-die attitude.
First Lady Melania Trump had another awkward hand-holding moment with husband Donald Trump as they welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte. pic.twitter.com/RyWEhi8uYE
— People (@people) April 24, 2018
Trevor Noah, from The Daily Show, edited the footage to create a more “accurate” video (below) by dubbing it with music from Steven Spielberg’s Jaws.
Jaws (1975) pic.twitter.com/zkNU9eEXt9
— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) April 24, 2018
It wasn’t the first time Melania has resisted Trump’s attempts to take her hand. There have been several such efforts captured on camera before, during their visit to Israel and to Rome.
Naturally, the late-night talk-show hosts milked these moments and dished out joke after joke about Trump’s cringeworthy day. While Noah took on Trump and Macron’s “Brotherhood of the travelling France”, Jimmy Kimmel focused on the now-infamous dandruff moment. “That’s really what orangutans do, they groom each other,” Kimmel said, noting that “a little touch of dandruff-shaming didn’t put their love-fest to an end”. You can watch their segments below.
"We all know Trump is not the sentimental type, but Macron made him feel a way he's never felt before: human."
— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) April 25, 2018
Donald Trump hosts French President Macron at the White House: https://t.co/CbZNmGtbij pic.twitter.com/RbwJmiIBX4
Stephen Colbert quipped, “Mr President: Macron is still standing next to you smiling after hanging out with you for two days. That’s not dandruff. That’s cocaine!”
He didn’t let the hand-holding incident slide, either. “Trump tried to hold Melania’s hand and she is not having it man,” said The Late Show host. “He’s like trying to arouse a dead trout. You can’t blame her though. I mean, she watches 60 Minutes, she knows where that hand has been.”
However, as a person on social media pointed out, perhaps it wasn’t such a bad day for Trump. After all, Macron very willingly agreed to take his hand, as you can see in the video below. Though, of course, we should point out that this was before Trump decided to groom Macron.
Trump-Macron Schedule:
— Robert Maguire (@RobertMaguire_) April 24, 2018
1) Bilateral meetings
2) Light hand holding
3) State dinner pic.twitter.com/NPVCVFJap7
And finally, here’s some of the wit on Twitter:
Trump trying to hold Melania’s hand reminds me of Pepé le Pew chasing a bewildered Le Cat. pic.twitter.com/ZlhbtAJDuH
— laney (@misslaneym) April 24, 2018
Because Melania won’t hold his hand. pic.twitter.com/MGyJnpxBrh
— ᴤɪʟʟʏ ᴛʀᴜᴍᴘ ᴍᴇᴍᴇᴤ (@SillyTrumpMemes) April 24, 2018
“When the aging gorilla is confronted with the much more virile, new alpha-male, he shows submissiveness by grooming the alpha-male, but the gesture is actually a vain attempt by the old gorilla to humiliate his much younger rival.”
— Mrs. Betty Bowers (@BettyBowers) April 24, 2018
— Jane Goodall
pic.twitter.com/fx85I1KwVy
Melania refusing to hold Trump's hand with a ghastly expression on her face, and then him creepily grabbing it, is America 2018. pic.twitter.com/YPq3TFYlmJ
— Steve Silberman (@stevesilberman) April 24, 2018
“I know I’ve been an absentee dad and a horrible husband - including flagrant affairs while you were pregnant - but let’s just hold hands at this event...” pic.twitter.com/gLDCs40iCk
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) April 24, 2018
–Body language–
— Polly Sigh (@dcpoll) April 24, 2018
Trump: tap, tap <everyone's watching, hold my hand>
Melania: <nope>
Trump: pinky tap <million bucks>
Melania: <nope>
Trump: pinky tap, tap < 2 mill>
Melania: <I'm listening>
Trump: 3 finger brush <3 mill>
Melania: <done>#Maddow pic.twitter.com/10mKIwS9he