President Donald Trump has spent all of Tuesday lavishing praise on French President Emmanuel Macron.
While the two leaders have had some odd moments in the past several months, most notably a war of most-impressive-handshakes, one quick moment on Tuesday was particularly awkward.
Posing for photos in the Oval Office on Tuesday as part of Macron’s visit to the United States, Trump paused, mid-sentence, to brush off “dandruff” off the French president to “make him perfect.”
“Mr. President they’re all saying what a great relationship we have, and they’re actually correct,” Trump said, apparently referring to the media. “It’s not fake news. Finally, it’s not fake news. So it’s a great honor, great honor, that you’re here, but we do have a very special relationship.”
Trump then eyed Macron’s shoulder and brushed it.
“In fact, I’ll get that little piece of dandruff off,” the president said, wagging his finger along Macron’s shoulder as he smiled awkwardly.
“We have to make him perfect,” the president said, putting his arms out at the cameras. “He is perfect.”
Trump on Macron: “We have a very special relationship, in fact I’ll get that little piece of dandruff off…we have to make him perfect, he is perfect.” https://t.co/GGsfve3KYB pic.twitter.com/vzV2Dech86
— Dan Linden (@DanLinden) April 24, 2018
Trump has been known to obsess over how those in his orbit present themselves, so perhaps it’s unsurprising that he would brush off Macron’s “dandruff” despite the fact that no one would have noticed it otherwise.
The president finished the photo spray by calling Macron a “special friend.”
