Emmanuel Macron: White-knuckle handshake with Donald Trump was 'a moment of truth'

French President Emmanuel Macron says his now famous white-knuckle handshake show down with US counterpart Donald Trump was 'a moment of truth' designed toshow that he is no pushover.

Macron told a Sunday newspaper in France that "myhandshake 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 duDimanche. 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.

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The French leader held the shake for a few seconds more. Both men's jaws seemed to clench.