The G7 summit in Evian, France, was always going to draw global attention, but few expected a greeting ceremony to become one of its most talked-about moments. As French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte personally welcomed each of the seven world leaders, things took an interesting turn when Donald Trump stepped forward for his turn.
Trump, energetic as ever, gave Emmanuel Macron a firm handshake before shifting his attention to Brigitte, 73, exchanging a brief but closely watched interaction with her. It looked like a routine diplomatic greeting on the surface until a lip reader got involved.
What the Lip Reader Says
Jeremy Freeman, a professional lip reader, was brought in to analyse the footage, and his interpretation quickly made headlines. According to Freeman, as Trump greeted Brigitte with kisses on both cheeks in the French tradition, the US president enthusiastically said: "Ah Brigitte, mwah, mwah. Wow."
That one-word reaction "wow" was enough to set the internet ablaze. Many interpreted it as a sign that Trump was visibly impressed by the French First Lady, which only added to the controversy already swirling around the encounter.
The Handshake That Raised Eyebrows
Even before the lip reading story surfaced, the greeting had already become a talking point. Video footage showed Trump holding onto Brigitte's hand for what many felt was an unusually long time. Political commentator Aaron Rupar was among the first to flag it publicly, writing that Trump had subjected Brigitte to his signature "weird handshake tug of war."
The clip spread rapidly, and the comment sections didn't hold back. Reactions ranged from discomfort to outright disgust. One viewer wrote that the interaction involved "inappropriate gestures and mannerisms," while another gave a more detailed breakdown: "He shook Emmanuel's hand quickly and moved on but with her, he kept the grip going while she was clearly uncomfortable. The way she shook her hand right after he let go said everything."
The Hand-Holding Moment
A separate piece of footage added yet another layer to the story. In it, Trump appeared to be walking hand-in-hand with Brigitte Macron, prompting a fresh round of reactions online. "Holy smokes why is Trump holding hands with France's First Lady right in front of her husband?" one user posted, with others jokingly asking whether he had mistaken her for Melania.
The moment sparked genuine debate about protocol and appropriateness at high-level diplomatic events, where body language and physical conduct are typically very deliberate.
Not Everyone Was Critical
Despite the flood of criticism, Trump's supporters were quick to offer a different reading of events. Some pointed out that Emmanuel Macron had walked ahead on the platform, leaving Brigitte momentarily without an escort. In that context, one commenter argued that Trump had simply done the gentlemanly thing by stepping in calling it a sign of good manners rather than anything inappropriate.
"Macron was walking off without his wife, taking Trump and leaving her behind. Trump recognised this and acted like a proper man," one online defender wrote.
A Summit Full of Side Stories
The Trump-Brigitte moment wasn't the only drama hovering around the G7 sidelines. Separately, Emmanuel Macron was reportedly spotted whispering to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, apparently describing a recent exchange with Trump as "difficult." It all painted a picture of a summit where the formal agenda was only part of what was really going on.
Whether Trump's "wow" was simply a spontaneous reaction or something more, it's clear the moment struck a nerve and with cameras rolling at every angle, nothing at events like these goes unnoticed for long.
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