When Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, one detail stood out immediately: the former U.S. president skipped his signature “bone-crusher” handshake, the aggressive grip he’s famously used with leaders from Emmanuel Macron to Shinzo Abe. Instead, Trump opted for a far more restrained gesture — one that body language experts say was no accident, but a calculated display of power and strategy.
Speaking with The Independent, a behavioral analyst explained that Trump’s handshake is one of his most deliberate forms of nonverbal communication. “Trump has always used the handshake as a way to dominate,” the expert noted. “The fact that he didn’t deploy it with Zelenskyy says he is reframing the dynamic. He doesn’t need to crush his hand to prove dominance. He’s showing that he’s in control by holding back.”
During the widely circulated footage, Trump extends only a brief, almost casual handshake. Social media quickly seized on the difference, with users posting comparisons to the notorious 2017 meeting where Trump nearly yanked Macron off his feet with an overextended grip. One viral post on X read, “If Trump isn’t doing the bone-crusher, that’s a message.”
Trump’s handshake with Zelenskyy was unusually soft — no pull, no squeeze. For a man who weaponizes handshakes, that silence speaks volumes. pic.twitter.com/trumphandshake— Axios (@axios) August 16, 2025
Other analysts told Business Insider that the move was likely meant to contrast Zelenskyy’s own image. The Ukrainian leader, who appeared in his trademark olive-green outfit instead of a formal suit, has been accused by critics of looking too casual in such high-stakes meetings. By offering a subdued handshake, Trump may have been signaling to observers that he was the one setting the tone.
Trump’s handshake tactics have long been a subject of scrutiny. A New York Times profile once described his grip as “part performance, part psychological warfare,” designed to rattle opponents before discussions even begin. That’s why the absence of it this time is being read as especially telling. “Sometimes the power move is not doing the power move,” one body language researcher said.
People forget: Trump’s handshake is a strategy. Not giving Zelenskyy the bone-crusher is just as much a play as giving it. pic.twitter.com/handshakewars— POLITICO (@politico) August 16, 2025
Some commentators speculated on whether Trump’s restraint could also reflect the sensitive nature of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. With the war dominating global headlines, Trump has repeatedly claimed he could end it “almost immediately” if reelected. Analysts argue that a deliberately softer greeting might have been crafted to project statesmanship instead of intimidation, particularly given Zelenskyy’s embattled position on the world stage.
The choice did not go unnoticed in Kyiv. Ukrainian media pointed out that Trump had previously used his crushing handshake as a kind of “test” for allies and adversaries alike, and that not applying it here may reveal an attempt at appearing more cooperative. But opposition voices in Washington countered that it could also be a way of withholding symbolic support. As one columnist for The Washington Post wrote, “When Trump shakes hands, he’s telling you where you stand. With Zelenskyy, he told us nothing — and that is the message.”
Body language experts say Trump’s “non-handshake handshake” with Zelenskyy is a rare display of restraint — but it may also be a snub. pic.twitter.com/handshakesignal— CNN (@CNN) August 16, 2025
For those who have followed Trump’s long history of using subtle gestures to send big messages, the Zelenskyy handshake — or lack thereof — has already entered the archive of iconic Trump encounters. Whether it was restraint, strategy, or dismissal, one thing is clear: the handshake once again spoke louder than words.
