President Trump complimented Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for his "strong hands" on Friday before making a golfing gesture.

The remark came after an extended handshake between the two men in front of cameras at the White House, where they met.

Trump has made similar remarks before, including following an infamous GOP presidential debate moment in March 2016, when he defended the size of his hands after then-rival Sen. Marco Rubio Marco Antonio RubioHillicon Valley: DOJ indicts Chinese, Malaysian hackers accused of targeting over 100 organizations | GOP senators raise concerns over Oracle-TikTok deal | QAnon awareness jumps in new poll Intelligence chief says Congress will get some in-person election security briefings Republican Senators raise concerns over Oracle-TikTok deal MORE (R-Fla.) said he had “small hands.”

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The president revived the talk about his hands later that month during an interview with

The Washington Post’

s editorial board, describing them as “normal,” "strong," "good size," "great," "fine" and "slightly large, actually."

Abe and Trump were expected to discuss a wide range of topics Friday, including security and the possibility of a bilateral trade deal between the two countries after Trump signaled the U.S. intention to withdraw from the multilateral Trans-Pacific Partnership shortly after taking office last month.

Trump is slated to host Abe for a golf trip at his private Mar-a-Lago resort this weekend in Palm Beach, Fla.

During a joint press conference following their meeting Friday, Trump commented on his greeting of Abe when he arrived at the White House earlier in the day.

"I shook hands, but I grabbed him and I hugged him because that's how we feel. We have a very, very good bond," he said.