The 'power struggle' in the 29-second handshake between Trump and Macron.

The US President and his French counterpart shared a handshake that lasted 29 seconds on July 14th, and it was likened to a power struggle.

US President Donald Trump and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron are probably no strangers to the "awkward" handshakes they've exchanged since their previous meetings. However, the 29-second handshake at the end of yesterday's French National Day parade was truly the "awkwardest" moment between the two leaders, according to the Washington Post.

Body language expert Patti Wood commented that French President Macron appeared to be the "winner" in this dramatic handshake. "It was so different, so strange for a greeting between two world leaders," Wood said.

"The most striking thing was the amount of time they held hands. I think it lasted about 30 seconds, neither of them letting go. It was nothing short of a power struggle," Wood commented.

According to her, the US President was at a disadvantage from the start, and his attempt to hold onto his French counterpart was a way of showing that "I am still in power."

"Mr. Macron's palm was facing down. This immediately forced Mr. Trump into a position where his palm was facing up – a handshake signifying submission," Wood described. "Mr. Trump lost control from that moment on."

"Macron didn't miss the opportunity. Clearly, he decided from the start that he wouldn't let President Trump win the handshake. So, he held on tight," Wood said.

The French President greeted the American President at the military parade.

The two men shook hands as Macron saw Trump off from the parade area on the Champs Elysees. They remained clasped hands, bobbing back and forth as they walked together down the avenue. At one point, Trump patted his French counterpart's hand, and they pulled each other back and forth, looking more like an arm wrestling match.

Wood noted that in the past, both the American and French leaders have shown a tendency to pull the other person closer when shaking hands.

"Trump likes to pull his opponents toward him so their hands are positioned right in front of his chest. In this case, Macron has tried to do the same thing and succeeded a few times," Wood observed.

The US president then turned to shake hands with Brigitte Macron's wife, but still held tightly onto the hand of his French counterpart. According to body language expert Wood, this action by Trump once again showed how desperate he was to win and how much he wanted to project power.

"In an attempt to regain the upper hand, Trump engaged in a circle dance with Macron and Brigitte," Wood commented. "It was a truly bizarre interaction."

According to VNE