Emmanuel Macron comments on viral handshake with Donald Trump; calls it a moment of truth

Paris: French President Emmanuel Macron says his now famous white-knuckle handshake showdown with US counterpart Donald Trump was "a moment of truth" designed to show that he's no pushover.[caption id="attachment_3481123" align="alignleft" width="428"] US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron. AP[/caption]Macron told a Sunday newspaper in France that "my handshake with him, it wasn't innocent.""One must show that you won't make small concessions, even symbolic ones, but also not over-publicise things, either,"    Macron added.Macron's office confirmed to The Associated Press the veracity of the president's comments in Le Journal du Dimanche.At their first meeting, ahead of a NATO summit in Brussels on Thursday, the two men locked hands for so long that knuckles started turning white.The French leader held the shake for a few seconds more.Both their jaws seemed to clench.