President Trump often likes to remind people that he’s a businessman, not a politician. He also has bouts of germophobia.
“I’m not a politician. Politicians are all talk and no action, Chris,” he told CNN’s Chris Cuomo in a phoner in 2015. “I’m the opposite.”
So perhaps it only makes perfect sense that the leader of the free world would move in for a kiss on the tip of German Chancellor Angela Merkel‘s nose?
you’re welcome pic.twitter.com/D8Ieqbg6UF
— Dusty (@DustinGiebel) August 30, 2019
Many on Twitter expressed sympathy for her. “That poor woman,” sang the Twitter refrain.
The two world leaders have had a frosty rapport. So a near Eskimo kiss seems a bit outlandish — even for him. Kissing her on the tippy tip of her nose is just, well, downright bizarre.
But then again, any affection is a step in the right direction for these two.
Trump insulted Merkel during his campaign for president and refused to shake her hand when she visited Washington after he moved into the White House. The pair recently met up at the G7 Summit in Biarritz, France. During a joint interview, Trump announced that he has “German in his blood.” Merkel replied with an audible snort.
To be sure, Trump has had many other awkward physical moments with world leaders and even his wife, Melania, who has occasionally snatched her hand away when he has tried to grab it.
When the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited the White House, Trump’s famously long handshake with him lasted an incredibly awkward 19 seconds, during which he tugged, patted and pulled.
The president has also yanked his VP Mike Pence‘s hand, as if he were trying to pull his arm out of its shoulder socket.
Also at the G7 summit: Trump had a really funny pat down, slapping exchange with India Prime Minister Narendra Modi after Trump joked that Modi could actually speak English but just didn’t want to.
The two leaders broke into laughter while Modi delivered a slap to Trump’s hand.
#WATCH France: US President Donald Trump jokes with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the bilateral meeting on the sidelines of #G7Summit. Trump says, “He (PM Modi) actually speaks very good English, he just doesn’t want to talk” pic.twitter.com/ee66jWb1GQ
— ANI (@ANI) August 26, 2019