The world leaders President Trump has met so far — and what happened
Jonathan Ernst (Reuters)
President Donald Trump has had face time with dozens of world leaders since he moved into the White House on the heels of a shocking November election victory.
Trump's rhetorical bombast and politically unconventional behavior has, at points, delighted his base while leaving others less enthused at best, and calling for his impeachment at worst.
An ever-growing investigation of Russia's meddling in the election and possible collusion with the Trump campaign has, and continues, to add a complex layer to the Trump administration, coloring his interactions with leaders in the US and abroad.
Despite this, Trump has sat down with close to three dozen world leaders since he took office.
Here's who they are, and how the meetings went.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Netanyahu and Trump's meeting was focused in part on solving the the Israeli-Palestinian conflicts. Trump had said he could live with either solution, calling Netanyahu a "good negotiator," at a joint press conference.
Netanyahu replied, "It's the art of the deal," an apparent reference to Trump's 1987 book.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel
Trump and Merkel's first meeting was one of the US president's most-anticipated interactions with a world leader — partly because of his campaign rhetoric that painted Germany in a negative light due to its willingness to accept refugees from war-torn countries in the Middle East.
Toward the end of the meeting, it also appeared that Trump missed a cue to shake hands with Merkel during an awkward exchange. The two had shaken hands earlier in the day.
French President Emmanuel Macron
Trump and Macron's first meeting is also well-remembered for a handshake. This time, Macron had been warned about Trump's aggressive hand-shaking style.
The exchange between Trump and Macron on May 25 led to a now-infamous white-knuckled handshake that appeared to make Trump uncomfortable.
The internet exploded. The two presidents had a handshake rematch last week when Trump visited Macron for Bastille Day in Paris. As Trump prepared to leave, the two remained locked mano-a-mano for nearly 30 seconds, uninterrupted.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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