SAEDNEWS: A tense handshake moment between Donald Trump and the Dutch royal family at the NATO summit quickly went viral—turning into a subtle battle of dominance and eye contact.
According to Saed News, U.S. President Donald Trump’s famously assertive handshake style—marked by a firm grip, sudden pull, and visible display of dominance—has caught many world leaders off guard in the past, from Japan’s Shinzo Abe to France’s Emmanuel Macron. But at the recent NATO summit held in The Hague, the tables were unexpectedly turned.
As Trump entered the conference hall and began greeting attendees, he extended his hand to King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands. In a rare reversal of roles, the Dutch monarch preemptively pulled Trump’s hand toward himself before the American could execute his signature move. Cameras captured the fleeting but telling moment: Trump appeared briefly startled, while King Willem-Alexander, a former Olympic athlete, maintained a calm, confident smile—projecting quiet authority and disarming the political theater with poise.
Yet the real viral spark came seconds later. As Trump moved on to greet Queen Máxima, his gaze lingered conspicuously, drawing attention online and prompting speculation that he sought a petty form of payback. The king’s facial expression during the exchange—subtle, watchful, and tinged with amusement—only added fuel to the social media frenzy.
The incident, while light-hearted on the surface, has once again highlighted Trump’s penchant for turning diplomacy into performance, and how seasoned leaders occasionally flip the script in silence.
