Sometimes Donald Trump just needs to get a grip – because his latest ‘alpha male’ powerplay against King Charles was a dismal disaster. If the US President, 79, was a gorilla he would insist on being the biggest and loudest silverback in the troop. You can bet young Trump was a playground bully.
Over the years and two stints in the Oval Office, Trump has used his pathetically obvious ‘power handshake’ on a number of guests to the White House. For those who have yet to see it in action, the ‘power handshake’ is characterised by an over-the-top style designed to assert male dominance with a firm, long-duration grip – a sharp tug to pull the person off-balance – and a final pat or “hand hug”.
Onlookers watch the unlucky recipient at first fooled into thinking Trump is greeting them as a friend, before he clamps on for dear life, gives them a big yank (no pun intended) and they are wobbled unsteady and almost fall over.
It has worked to great effect on a number of fine statesmen … or “gullible suckers” as Trump probably calls them.
The late, great Shinzo Abe suffered a gruelling 19-second handshake when he met Trump in 2017 in the Oval Office, with the then Japanese Prime Minister visibly relieved when it ended.
There was almost ‘entente uncordiale’ in Paris that same year when Trump gripped the French leader’s hands so tightly, Emmanuel Macron’s knuckles turned white.
Smart former Canadian PM Justin Trudeau did his homework and neutralised the yank (both Trump and the tactic) by cleverly using a “deltoid brace” to lock his own shoulder and prevent being pulled forward.
Now we can proudly add our own great King Charles to the honour board for seeing off the shameless power stunt.
This week, just 48 hours after Trump and First Lady Melania escaped unharmed following gunfire at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, King Charles and Queen Camilla touched down in the USA for their state visit commemorating the 250th anniversary of American independence.
The visit takes place against a backdrop of strained relations between Britain and America around the Middle East conflict.
But canny Charles has received widespread acclaim for his handling of Trump’s celebrated embrace.
Footage circulated on X, formerly Twitter, captures the President and First Lady receiving Charles and Camilla at the White House.
But as Trump extended his hand to the King to initiate the male power dance, the King refused to allow the President to draw him forward, instead pulling his own hand carefully back.
One social media user said: “Proud of King Charles. You can clearly see the tugging in the handshake, the King pulled back more than once as well.”
Another said: “The Royals have had far too much practice at hand-shaking for the Orange Lunatic to try that with them.”
Trump was clearly so miffed he lost the power play he instead placed his hand on the King’s arm as they made their way into the White House, against unofficial but respectful Royal protocols.
It’s Britain 1 – USA 0. On such days I’m mighty proud to be a Royalist Brit.