"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2017-07-08T16:04:17Z"
data-video-section="world"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2017/07/08/g20-angela-merkel-donald-trump-climate-change-sot.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="g20 angela merkel donald trump climate change sot"
data-first-publish-slug="g20 angela merkel donald trump climate change sot"
data-video-tags="angela merkel,business and industry sectors,business, economy and trade,climate change,diplomatic talks and summits,donald trump,economic policy,economy and economic indicators,energy and environment,energy and utilities,environment and natural resources,europe,exports and imports,g20 summits,germany,government and public administration,government bodies and offices,inter-governmental talks,international relations,international relations and national security,international trade,political figures - intl,political figures - us,protectionism,trade and development,trade regulation and policy,us federal government,western europe,white house"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2017-07-08T16:23:22Z"
data-video-section="politics"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2017/07/08/putin-trump-different-tv-meeting-g20-sot-new.russia-24"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="Putin Trump different TV meeting g20 sot new"
data-first-publish-slug="Putin Trump different TV meeting g20 sot new"
data-video-tags="arts and entertainment,diplomatic talks and summits,donald trump,g20 summits,government and public administration,government bodies and offices,heads of state,inter-governmental talks,international relations,international relations and national security,investigations,political figures - intl,political figures - us,russia meddling investigation,television programming,us federal government,vladimir putin,white house"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2017-07-08T08:58:02Z"
data-video-section="politics"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2017/07/08/donald-ivanka-trump-g20-entrepreneurship-event-women-bts.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="donald ivanka trump g20 entrepreneurship event women bts"
data-first-publish-slug="donald ivanka trump g20 entrepreneurship event women bts"
data-video-tags="business, economy and trade,company activities and management,company structure and ownership,developing countries,diplomatic talks and summits,donald trump,economic development,entrepreneurship,females (demographic group),feminism,g20 summits,gender equality,government and public administration,government bodies and offices,inter-governmental talks,international relations,international relations and national security,international trade,political figures - us,population and demographics,sex and gender issues,society,trade and development,us federal government,white house,labor and employment,women workers and professionals,workers and professionals"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2017-07-07T19:28:08Z"
data-video-section="politics"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2017/07/07/tillerson-trump-putin-discuss-syria-at-g20-meeting-tapper-sot-wolf.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="Tillerson Trump Putin discuss Syria at G20 meeting tapper sot wolf"
data-first-publish-slug="Tillerson Trump Putin discuss Syria at G20 meeting tapper sot wolf"
data-video-tags="business figures,diplomatic talks and summits,donald trump,europe,g20 summits,germany,government and public administration,government bodies and offices,heads of state,inter-governmental talks,international relations,international relations and national security,investigations,middle east,middle east and north africa,political figures - intl,political figures - us,rex tillerson,russia meddling investigation,state departments and diplomatic services,syria,us federal government,vladimir putin,western europe,white house"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2017-07-06T09:12:22Z"
data-video-section="politics"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2017/07/06/trump-poland-north-korea-red-lines-sot.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="trump poland north korea red lines sot"
data-first-publish-slug="trump poland north korea red lines sot"
data-video-tags="donald trump,political figures - us,asia,east asia,eastern europe,europe,government and public administration,government bodies and offices,north korea,poland,us federal government,white house,press conferences"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2017-07-06T08:52:32Z"
data-video-section="politics"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2017/07/06/trump-duda-nato-poland-sot.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="trump duda nato poland sot"
data-first-publish-slug="trump duda nato poland sot"
data-video-tags="andrzej duda,business, economy and trade,diplomatic talks and summits,donald trump,eastern europe,europe,g20 summits,germany,government and public administration,government bodies and offices,hamburg,inter-governmental talks,international relations,international relations and national security,international trade,poland,political figures - intl,political figures - us,trade and development,us federal government,warsaw,western europe,white house,nato"
data-details="">
The lack of a handshake – particularly given Trump’s handshake history – was taken as a sign of the tensions between the two leaders. As CNN’s Julia Manchester wrote at the time:
“The tense moment between the American and German leaders comes after Trump repeatedly bashed Merkel on the campaign trail and accused her of ‘ruining Germany,’ citing the nation’s policies allowing refugees into the nation.”
All of which made Thursday’s meeting between Trump and Merkel ahead of the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany all the more anticipated. Would they shake hands? Would they not? If they did, would it be awkward?
Let’s cut to the chase. It happened. And the picture it produced was epic.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Donald Trump shake hands prior to a bilateral meeting on the eve of the G20 summit in Hamburg, northern Germany, on July 6, 2017.
MICHAEL KAPPELER/AFP/Getty Images
It’s amazing, right?
Both Merkel and Trump look stunned that they are having their picture taken while shaking hands. They also both have an “am-I-doing-this-right” look mixed with a “when-is-the-soonest-possible-moment-in-time-this-can-be-over” look on their faces.
Other pictures taken of the moment suggest it was a bit more mundane with both leaders just happy to have successfully executed the handshake and survived it.
Pool/Getty Images
MATTHIAS SCHRADER/AFP/Getty Images
By all accounts, the handshake went smoothly.
“There was no signs of that [March] awkwardness on Thursday, as Trump offered Merkel a firm handshake, warm body-language and a smile before the two disappeared into a meeting at the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany,” wrote the New York Post’s Ruth Brown of the grip and grin. MSNBC’s Jesse Rodriguez tweeted of the moment: “Merkel extended her hand first and then Trump shook it.”
So, the first Merkel-Trump photo above is rightly understood as a snapshot in time – literally. But what a snapshot!
