When Donald Trump extended his hand to Vladimir Putin on an Alaskan airport tarmac, the world expected another display of the president’s infamous grip-and-yank technique, but this time the Russian leader had other plans.
The much-anticipated summit at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, on Friday, Aug. 15, became an unexpected showcase of body language warfare, as the two world leaders, who fancy themselves as friends, engaged in what many are calling a masterclass in political posturing.
The dramatic scene unfolded on the tarmac just north of Anchorage.
Against the backdrop of five thundering U.S. B-2 bombers providing a ceremonial flyover, the leaders approached each other on a red carpet for what would become one of the most analyzed handshakes in recent political memory. Many zoned in to catch Trump deploy his signature “clasp and yank” technique.
Trump skipped his usual power grip and went for a limp, palm-up handshake. He tried to salvage it with a left-hand pat, but the dominance play landed more like an interaction between an employee and their boss.
But Putin wasn’t playing along. After shaking his hand, he didn’t participate in the pulling back and forth that the former reality star had used in the past to exert his power over the colleague.
One viewer captured the sentiment perfectly on X, writing, “Trump again tried to do that bulls—t Power handshake and Putin was aware of it.”
The Russian leader, seemingly prepared for Trump’s notorious grip-and-pull maneuver, planted his feet firmly and locked his posture, creating an immovable force that left Trump unable to execute his trademark power move.
Trump again tried to do that bullshit Power handshake and putin was aware of it
— Charlie (@Charlie140962) August 15, 2025
Other social media users weighed in on Putin’s successful defense against Trump’s aggressive handshake.
On Threads, one user wrote, “Typical little man energy. ‘I’m not his equal so I’ll tank his hand to put him off balance.’ Putz.”
Another observer noted, “He clapped like a school girl when Putin walked up,” while a third joked, “He patted his hand like a little boy.”
Others, believing Trump was not as puffy with the Russian leader, reminisced on how another U.S. President treated the dictator.
The moment has reignited discussions about Trump’s unconventional approach to diplomatic greetings, a topic that gained significant attention back in 2017 when psychology professor Geoff Beattie from Edge Hill University analyzed the president’s handshake strategy.
Beattie noted in the Sydney Morning Herald that Trump had essentially weaponized what should be a gesture of peace and cooperation, transforming handshakes into “the opening salvo in a battle for supremacy.”
The professor explained how Trump’s technique involves pulling recipients forward into his personal space, unbalancing them, and creating an immediate psychological advantage.
The most memorable example from that era was Trump’s 19-second marathon handshake with former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, where Trump repeatedly patted the back of Abe’s hand in calculated bursts. According to Beattie’s analysis, this hand patting wasn’t a comforting gesture but rather a dominance signal, similar to how a boss might pat an employee on the back, while the reverse would be inappropriate.
For a president who has made handshakes a signature power move throughout his political career, meeting someone equally prepared for the psychological warfare was bound to create fireworks.
Trump’s calculated grip tactics have consistently caught world leaders off guard, but Putin’s steely resistance proved that even the most rehearsed dominance displays can backfire when your opponent knows the game you’re playing.
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