Donald Trump Refuses to Shake Angela Merkel's Hand
4 Theories About That Painful Moment Trump Refused to Shake Angela Merkel's Hand
On March 17, Donald Trump met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel for the first time — and well, things didn't go so great. (Given Merkel's amicable relationship with Barack Obama, many anticipated this might be the case.)
In one particularly awkward moment, Trump ignored the photographers requesting that he shake Merkel's hand. Seconds later, Merkel turned to him and asked if they should shake hands as a photo opportunity, which he also ignored. Six seconds into the video shown below, you can see Merkel ask Trump as he stares blankly ahead and ignores her. The ensuing look on her face is painful to watch.
Photographers: Can we get a handshake?
Merkel (to Trump): Do you want to have a handshake?
Trump: *no response*
Merkel: *makes awkward face* pic.twitter.com/ehgpCnWPg7
— David Mack (@davidmackau) March 17, 2017
Let's contextualize this gaffe. For starters, Trump isn't great at handshakes. And he did shake Merkel's hand when she initially arrived at the White House, but it's customary that they shake hands again once inside the Oval Office. In case you're wondering, Trump recently had a similar meeting with Ireland's Taoiseach Enda Kenny and yes, they shook hands inside the Oval Office.
What do you think was the cause of Trump's snub? Let us know by taking the poll below.
