Lip Reader Reveals the Exchange Between Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron During Egypt Summit

A tense silence cloaked the summit room in Sharm El-Sheikh as two of the world's most-watched leaders shared a handshake that would ignite global speculation within hours.

On October 13, 2025, at a high-level meeting of world leaders in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, U.S. President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron shared a 26-second handshake that reignited long-simmering questions about their fraught relationship.

A Gripping Moment Between Two Powerhouses

The two leaders were attending a summit to address the ongoing crisis in Gaza. But while the formal agenda stayed largely behind closed doors, it was the intense and prolonged handshake that stole the spotlight.

According to professional lip reader Nicola Hickling, the encounter was marked by subtle tension and unmistakable emotional undertones. She told the Daily Mail the gesture was much more than just a casual greeting.

Hickling's interpretation begins with Trump saying, "Nice to see you, so you agreed?" Macron quickly turned from the camera, muttering a response that was too soft to hear. But Trump pressed again, "Are you being genuine?" Macron's alleged reply? "Of course."

Tense Summit Handshake Between Trump and Macron

Trump's next move was unmistakably intense. He tightened his grip as he pressed Macron for an explanation. According to the lip reader, Trump asked why he had been hurt. The French leader, visibly tense, looked down as his hand remained locked between the Commander-in-Chief's.

Both men stood before the official summit backdrop, creating a now-iconic image of rigid posturing and quiet confrontation. According to Hickling, Trump used the moment to convey a message he framed as making peace. Macron offered a brief tap on Trump's hand, but the U.S. President ignored it, tightening his grip even further.

The exchange reached its most striking moment when Trump allegedly said, "I only hurt those who hurt others," pointing toward the cameras. Macron answered, "I see. We will have to see about that."

The encounter escalated when Trump warned, "You will see what is about to happen," before ending the handshake with a loaded statement:

"I'd like to see you do it, do it. I'll see you in a bit."

The topic of their conversation remains unclear, and it followed weeks after Macron was reportedly observed laughing with other world leaders, adding fuel to speculation about underlying tensions. After the summit, Trump turned his attention to the media.

Trump Calls Out Time Magazine over 'Floating Crown' Photo on Truth Social

As speculation swirled, Donald Trump turned to his Truth Social platform to air another grievance — this time, with Time magazine.

In his post, he acknowledged that the article covering him was fair, but complained that the photo used was unflattering. The President described the photo as "something floating on top of" his head that "looked like a floating crown, but an extremely small one."

He further said, "I never liked taking pictures from underneath angles, but this is a super bad picture, and deserves to be called out. What are they doing, and why?" This wasn't the first time Trump had critiqued media portrayals, and it likely won't be the last.

A Complex Relationship

The Trump-Macron relationship has long been a mix of diplomacy and candid exchanges. While the two leaders have often projected warmth and cooperation in public appearances, they have also occasionally expressed frank opinions about each other in speeches and interviews.

The Egypt summit may have been about diplomacy. Still, this brief moment of strained contact reminded the world that even at the highest levels of power, personal dynamics can overshadow official diplomacy.