Trump Tried His Signature "Tug Of War" Handshake On King Charles III But Charles Apparently Won
“The King showed him who's the boss.”
US president Donald Trump tried his signature “tug of war” handshake on King Charles III, with a nearly 10-second handshake, but Charles appeared to win.
Trump has a habit of using handshakes as a power move on world leaders so notorious that "Donald Trump and handshakes" has its own Wikipedia page.
His signature technique is a "clasp and yank," where he grips the other person's hand, pulls them sharply toward him, and holds on until they yield.
On Monday, April 27, King Charles arrived in Washington, D.C. for a four-day state visit to the US, aimed at strengthening UK–US relations.
Trump greeted Charles with his infamous handshake, but Charles stood firmly, keeping his arm steady rather than being pulled in as they maintained their grip for several seconds.
A second handshake between the two was also captured in footage shared by the White House Rapid Response account, filmed prior to the King’s departure from the US on April 30.
People on social media were mostly on Charles’ side, saying Trump finally met his match, with some claiming Trump’s hand looked “bruised & discolored” after.
“The King showed him who's the boss,” one person said on X.
“King Charles' massive sausage hands were made for this moment. It was their destiny,” another person said.
On the second day of his visit on Tuesday, April 28, Charles delivered a historic address to a joint session of the US Congress, becoming only the second British monarch to address Congress since his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, spoke there in 1991.
In the speech, he emphasized democratic values, cooperation and the importance of alliances, including support for Ukraine.
The visit also included a state dinner at the White House, where Charles also made headlines after he jokingly told Trump that if it were not for the UK, Americans would be speaking French.
You Might Also Be Interested In
Sofia Hou
Kassy Cho
Sofia Hou
