King Charles has come out on top after an awkward 10-second handshake with President Donald Trump, who was spotted afterward with a swollen hand.
What was supposed to be a friendly greeting appeared more like a tug of war, with the king, 77, refusing to be the first to end the handshake.
Trump’s signature move is to pull people in towards him, but the king stood firm.
Trump, 79, and Charles then posed in front of the White House entrance with Melania Trump and Queen Camilla. A clip of that moment was posted online by Public Notice journalist Aaron Rupar, who drew attention to the president’s hand.
“The back of Trump’s right hand is swollen and discolored as he poses for pictures with King Charles,” he said alongside the clip on X.
The Daily Beast has previously drawn attention to fears about the president’s health, and one of the most consistent concerns has been the bruise-like marking on the back of his hand.
The president’s team says he puts makeup on his right hand to cover up marks from a relentless schedule of handshaking.
However, as the Beast previously reported, he was also spotted with it on his left hand on Monday, as he greeted the King and Queen ahead of a tea and a beehive tour, followed by a garden party.
Trump has a reputation for going in hard on handshakes, so much so that “Donald Trump and handshakes” even has its own Wikipedia page.
It dates back to well into his first term, during which he became known for drawing leaders in close as he greeted them, something various media outlets have described as a power move.
It even prompted the BBC to publish a video showing a strong rebuttal by former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as he greeted Trump. In footage from 2017, a similar tug-of-war took place between the two men, with Trudeau standing firm and not being pulled towards Trump.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Trump also have a long history of bizarre and lengthy handshakes.
It started back in 2017, when Macron, 31 years Trump’s junior, grabbed the president’s hand with such vigor that Trump’s knuckles turned white and he was forced—not once, but twice—to twist his way out of the French premier’s clutches during a 30-second handshake.
In 2023, another of their handshake battles lasted for a full 17 seconds outside the rebuilt Notre Dame Cathedral.
The British press trumpeted the king’s performance on Monday, with royal-friendly newspaper the Daily Express even celebrating him having pulled off what it called a “genius handshake trick” with Trump.
In a statement to the Daily Beast, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said, “President Trump has always had great respect for King Charles, and their relationship was further strengthened by the President’s historic trip to the United Kingdom last year. The President enjoyed welcoming Their Majesties to the White House today, and he looks forward to more special events throughout the week.”
Charles’ visit comes as U.S.-U.K. relations slump to a 21st-century low, as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer refuses to give Trump what he wants over Iran.
Trump has been incensed by traditional NATO allies like the U.K. and France refusing to go all-in on his war in the Middle East, who have ultimately said it’s not their fight.
The U.K., a close ally militarily, financially, and culturally, has pushed back against demands to help with the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping channel that Iran has closed, locking away around one-fifth of the world’s oil supply.
When U.S.-Iran peace talks led by JD Vance fell apart, Trump said he would blockade the Strait, and promised allies would be rushing to help.
“We continue to support freedom of navigation and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, which is urgently needed to support the global economy and the cost of living back home,” a U.K. spokesperson said soon after, putting questions about British involvement swiftly to bed. “The Strait of Hormuz must not be subject to tolling.”
Trump was already annoyed by the lack of British military enthusiasm for his war.
After the U.K. said it would not take part in the bombardment of Iran and hesitated over U.S. use of its military bases, Trump said in March: “We had the U.K. say–this is three weeks ago–‘we’ll send our aircraft carriers,’ which aren’t the best aircraft carriers, by the way. They’re toys compared to what we have. But ‘we’ll send our aircraft carrier when the war is over’. I said: ‘Oh that’s wonderful, thank you very much. Don’t bother. We don’t need it.’”
Meanwhile, aides have revealed that Charles will give a speech to Congress on Tuesday, offering a message of reconciliation and unity despite Trump’s attacks on his country.
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment.
