As French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump were speaking to the press ahead of their talks in Paris, Macron tapped his American counterpart on the thigh and called him a "good friend" after one journalist enquired into what Macron thinks about Trump's latest tweet.
The latest evolution in the body language between Presidents Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron: The thigh squeeze. https://t.co/1F44CAcb1D pic.twitter.com/WShOBdJsTb
— The Associated Press (@AP) November 10, 2018
The move by the French president came as a surprise, since Trump had earlier written that Macron's idea to create an EU army were "very insulting," as Europe is still not paying enough into NATO.
READ MORE: Netizens Think Trump-Macron Rapport Over After POTUS' Angry Tweet on EU Army
Twitterians went wild at the new episode of friendliness caught on camera between the French and US presidents, whose meetings often leave body language experts with much material to study. Some social media users even went as far as to suggest that the two have a kind of "bromance."
Are they having a bro — mance or something else?
— Steven Nelson (@stevennelson899) November 10, 2018
Classic patriarchal bromance.
— Susan Ciaravella (@writesastory) November 10, 2018
Others were not sure that the feeling that Macron has for Trump is mutual, referring to the US president's facial expression.
That look on the face of #MalignantOrangeTumour @realDonaldTrump — priceless!
— ishi kara🗻石から (@arsganyam) November 10, 2018
Merci beaucoup @EmmanuelMacron 😂
Some even claimed that Trump could sue his French counterpart for harassment or assault.
He’ll sue Macron for sexual assault.
— Alicia (@Alicia1031) November 10, 2018
Thank you for the video of the POTUS attacking Macron.
— Will Joel (@Cryptosis51) November 10, 2018
Still, many twitters found nothing special in the body language of the two presidents.
Why do people freak out over confident men paling around?
— AunMarie (@auny_marie) November 10, 2018
So what are you trying to imply?
— Sam knight (@Samknig80063809) November 10, 2018
Macron and Trump met ahead of events marking the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I in order to discuss bilateral relations between the US and Europe, including trade issues and defence matters, as well as the situations in Iraq, Yemen, and Syria. The meeting was preceded by Trump's tweet, where he blasted Macron's idea of creating a European army, noting that the European countries should pay their share for NATO first.