The European Commission president studiously refused to hold Donald Trump’s hand during a diplomatic visit to Washington – in stark contrast to Theresa May.

Jean-Claude Juncker and the US president announced plans for a new pact to head off a trade war late on Wednesday evening – in an apparent warming of relations between the EU and United States.

But despite the apparent emerging entente Mr Juncker was seen firmly rejecting Mr Trump’s overtures while the two stood at a podium at the White House.

The British Prime Minister was pictured holding Donald Trump’s hand during her diplomatic visit to Washington DC last year. She repeated the action again when the US president visited her this year, supporting him – and even later offering another hand which was ignored by the president.

Mr Trump reportedly has a deep-seated fear of steps and slopes and sometimes seeks assistance from those around him while going up or down them.

His vulnerable conduct in these situations has sparked interest in part because it contrasts with the US president’ usually brash and overconfident public persona.

But Ms May’s willingness to physically support her US colleague in the highly scrutinised arena of international diplomacy was seen as a sign of the two politicians’ closeness.