Trump breaks the handshake chain

Manila, Nov. 13: Donald Trump was all fingers and thumbs during a carefully choreographed photo op on Monday at a summit of world leaders, failing to grasp whose hands he was supposed to be holding and breaking a lineup intended to showcase unity.

Mr Trump, whose insurgent election victory was built on his willingness to disrupt political convention, was supposed to cross his arms and join hands with the men on either side of him.

But as others clutched the hands of the person to their left and their right, Mr Trump used both of his hands to clasp the extended fingers of Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

The doubling up left summit host Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte with a spare hand — and broke the line into two parts.

The handshake chain is a set piece of gatherings

DUTERTE AND Trump sat next to each other at a presummit banquet, during which they smiled, chatted and clinked champagne glasses. DUTERTE, 72, also sang a Filipino love song, saying lightheartedly that he did so on the orders of the US President.

of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, who are meeting with leaders from China, the US, Russia, New Zealand, Australia, India, Canada, Japan and South Korea.

After an awkward few seconds, Mr Trump appeared to recognise his error and made the link between Nguyen and Duterte. Mr Trump is on the final leg of a tour of Asia.