A routine greeting at the G7 summit quickly became one of the event’s most talked-about moments. As clips spread online, viewers began replaying the footage and asking the same question: What exactly happened on stage?
French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron welcomed President Donald Trump onto a G7-branded stage Tuesday evening ahead of a working dinner and photo opportunity.
The meeting took place amid an already closely watched summit, in the coming months after Trump publicly commented on the French first couple, as international leaders gathered for discussions behind closed doors.

Some zoomed in on the greeting, arguing that Brigitte Macron’s movement at the end was particularly telling. | Source: TikTok/newsweek
A G7 Welcome Soon Had Everyone Looking at One Particular Moment
At first, the greeting appeared routine. Video footage showed Brigitte exchanging double-cheek kisses with Donald, a customary gesture in many European countries, before the leaders paused for photographs. But as the cameras continued rolling, many viewers noticed that one part of the interaction seemed to last longer than expected.
Only after watching the clips repeatedly did online users begin focusing on the pair’s handshake, which appeared to last roughly 14 seconds before Brigitte finally pulled away. Some viewers believed the First Lady looked uneasy.

Not everyone saw the prolonged greeting the same way, and one viewer was convinced Brigitte Macron’s expression revealed more than diplomacy. | Source: TikTok/newsweek
One person commented, “He’s doing his power shake with her. Weird.” Another observed, “I noticed she pulled away pretty hard at the end.”
Not everyone interpreted the moment negatively. One commenter stated, “Nothing wrong.” Someone else joked, “Melania will not be happy.” A Reddit viewer noted, “That handshake felt all kinds of awkward.”

What appeared to be a routine photo-op left viewers studying every detail, from Brigitte Macron’s stance to Emmanuel Macron’s demeanor nearby. | Source: Getty Images
Then a Lip Reader Claimed Cameras Missed Another Exchange
The prolonged handshake became even more talked about after lip reader Nicola Hickling analyzed the footage. According to Nicola, Donald first turned to Emmanuel and said, “I’m ready for tonight.”
After shaking the French president’s hand and reportedly saying “pleasure,” Donald allegedly addressed Brigitte directly. Nicola claimed Donald greeted her with the words, “Hello, sweetheart.” Brigitte then appeared to answer with a remark that surprised some viewers.

As lip reader Nicola Hickling’s interpretation spread online, viewers revisited images from the encounter to see whether they could spot signs of the reported exchange for themselves. | Source: Getty Images
According to the lip reader, she replied, “Happy birthday.” The alleged conversation prompted social media viewers to revisit the video, with many trying to determine whether they could make out the exchange themselves.








