President Donald Trump told French President Emmanuel Macron that he had been a supporter in his race against far-right leader Marine Le Pen, although Trump's only comment on the race had him hailing Le Pen.

Trump told Macron of his views in comments relayed by an official in the French government's office – after a bilateral meeting where the two men engaged in a vigorous handshake that lasted more than five seconds.

'You were my guy,' Trump assured the new French president during their first time meeting in Brussels, the official from the French president's office said, according to French media reports.

Trump told Macron that, contrary to media reports during the race, he had not backed Le Pen and had followed Macron's campaign with great attention, the source said, adding that the two leaders had spoken in English.

MY GUY: President Trump reportedly told French President Emmanuel Macron he supported him during the recent elections, despite his comments calling rival Marine Le Pen 'the strongest'

Although Trump didn't endorse Le Pen, he praised her in comments to the Associated Press shortly before the runoff election, following an attack on a French policeman.

'She's the strongest on borders and she's the strongest on what's been going on in France,' Trump said.

'Whoever is the toughest on radical Islamic terrorism, and whoever is the toughest at the borders, will do well in the election,' he added, speaking in late April.

In contrast, former President Obama explicitly endorsed Macron in the race, appearing in an a video for Macron days after the Trump spoke.

NO MUSCLE-BOUND MAN COULD TAKE ME AWAY FROM MY GUY: The two leaders shared a prolonged handshake in Brussels

'I have admired the campaign that Emmanuel Macron has run,' Obama said in the video shared by Macron.

'He has stood up for liberal values, he put forward a vision for the important role that France plays in Europe and around the world. And he is committed to a better future for the French people. He appeals to people's hopes and not their fears,' Obama said.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer said he did not know if Trump had said this to Macron but indicated the two men got along.

'When they were walking out, they seemed to have real, great chemistry, when he was sending him off. From everything I heard, it seemed to go very well,' Spicer told reporters traveling with the president.

Marine Le Pen, French National Front (FN) political party candidate for French 2017 presidential election, concedes defeat at the Chalet du Lac in the Bois de Vincennes in Paris after the second round of 2017 French presidential election, France, May 7, 2017

Centrist Macron beat National Front leader Le Pen in a May 7 run-off vote after a hard-fought campaign that pitted Macron's pro-European views against Le Pen's anti-globalization, anti-EU and anti-immigration stance.

After a policeman was killed in Paris in April by a suspected militant, Trump told the Associated Press he thought the attack would 'probably help' Le Pen because she was the candidate who is 'strongest on borders'. However, he said he was not explicitly endorsing Le Pen.

Le Pen said she was best placed to defend France's interests in what she called the 'new world' of Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin.

In we go: Macron, France's youngest-ever president and youngest leader since Napoleon, had the upper hand as the grip began

Keep pumping: The grip and grin went on for a solid five seconds as Trump met Macron, the new French leader for the first time

Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron pumped fists for a full five seconds on Thursday in Brussels as the two leaders seemed to be locked into a battle of the phalanges

The president and first lady Melania Trump greeted Macron at the U.S. ambassador's residence in the Belgian capital in advance of a NATO summit. He did not bring the French first lady to the meeting

Earlier Thursday, Trump put his weight behind his first handshake with France's new president, gripping and torquing his way on Thursday through the crucial moment in their budding relationship.

They shook hands for a full five seconds while camera shutters clicked, pumping their fists 16 times in a seeming battle of the phalanges.

Macron, the youngest French head of state since Napoleon, has held office for just 11 days.

'It is my great honor to be with the newly elected president of France, who ran an incredible campaign and had a tremendous victory,' he said. 'All over the world they're talking about it.'

'We have a lot to discuss,' Trump added, 'including terrorism and other things. Congratulations. Great job.'