By Adam Arnold, News Reporter

Emmanuel Macron has shed light on that very firm, somewhat awkward handshake between him and Donald Trump at their first meeting.

The two leaders gripped each other's hands so tightly their knuckles started turning white and their jaws seemed to clench in front of the media last week in Brussels before a NATO summit.

Image: The leaders' jaws seemed to clench

Mr Trump often seems to get the upper hand when it comes to such greetings - cue one with Japanese PM Shinzo Abe which lasted 19 seconds - and with supreme court nominee Neil Gorsuch, where the US leader appeared to yank the judge's arm.

But in the Belgian capital, Mr Macron was widely judged to have won their contest, with Mr Trump looking like he was the one ready to pull away first.


Image: Donald Trump and Shinzo Abe's handshake lasted 19 seconds

The French president has now described the handshake as "a moment of truth" designed to show that he is no pushover.

Mr Macron told Le Journal du Dimanche newspaper that "my handshake with him, it wasn't innocent".

He added: "One must show that you won't make small concessions, even symbolic ones, but also not over-publicise things, either."

Image: Mr Trump appeared to yank US Judge Neil Gorsuch's arm

The next day at the G7 summit in Sicily, Italy, Mr Macron attracted attention for his friendly interactions with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Maybe they compared notes about handshakes, as Mr Trudeau was judged to have coped well with Mr Trump's dominant grip when they met in Washington.