Donald Trump’s unusual greetings shed light on the art of the handshake
TORONTO — When is a handshake more than a handshake? Any time it involves the unpredictable U.S. President Donald Trump, who has turned the simple social convention into a highly analyzed and debated spectator sport.
A handful of odd greetings, including a relatively tame one with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday, has experts and political junkies alike reading into the significance and meaning — whether warranted or not — of Trump’s every minute gesture and expression.
Etiquette maven Leanne Pepper admits to being stunned by Trump’s aggressive handshake style, which often includes yanking his partner sharply towards himself and holding for several beats longer than expected.
She takes heart in the scrutiny he seems to have awakened in the general public, hoping that signals a return to basic civil customs.