Watch what Melania Trump does with her hand after shaking hands with Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan, the US First Lady’s gesture sparks attention

A small incident that happened between US First Lady Melania Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping alongside his wife when they arrived in Washington has generated quite a stir on social media where everyone is analyzing the way she touched her hand when she greeted the Chinese contemporaries.

The incident took place on September 23 when Xi and Peng Liyuan, the Chinese first lady, landed in Washington for their state visit to the US. Trump and Melania Trump were some of the people who received them on the tarmac when they landed at Joint Base Andrews.

What happened during Melania Trump’s meeting with Xi Jinping

The shaking of hands was one element of the extravagant greeting of Xi, who came to Washington on a three-day state visit. As per the Associated Press, both Trump and his wife, Melania, were standing by the airplane stairs and greeted Xi and Peng by shaking their hands. In addition, there was a 100 feet (30 meters) red carpet that was laid on the ground, and 21 people made up an honor guard at the landing site.

Moreover, the event involved a military contingent as well as national anthems and a flyover of two B-1 bombers. Earlier, Melania told the reasons why her husband decided to greet Xi at the airport.

In her interview for Fox & Friends on Fox News, she said, “They have a great relationship,” also adding, “He’s coming on our soil, and we need to welcome them with the most respect.”

What did Melania Trump do after the handshake?

In the circulating footage, Melania can be seen greeting Xi and his wife before moving away from the interaction and making a brief gesture with her hand. The clip then appears to show her looking down toward her hand.


In the viral video clips, one can see Melania greeting Xi and his wife before moving away and making a small gesture using her hands. Viewers then notice Melania looking down at her hand.

The footage, although widely circulated and assessed, does not conclude the intentions of the First lady behind the said gesture. Additionally, no official statement has acknowledged the highlighted issue.

That distinction has not stopped viewers from offering their own interpretations. One post urged others: “Watch what Melania does with her hand after she shakes the hand of China’s President”, while another wrote, “Pay close attention to what Melania Trump does with her hand.”

Viewers offer very different explanations

Some commenters interpreted the moment dramatically, while others treated it as a joke or dismissed the attention altogether. One user speculated: “Well maybe Mrs Xi handed her a help me note. He had a death grip on her hand”, possibly a sarcastic interpretation that is not supported by any verified evidence in the footage or official accounts.

Another offered a much lighter explanation: “Oh you don’t know how rich ladies hold their hands? She probably has a fresh manicure ����”

Others pushed back against the viral scrutiny. “Slow news day AGAIN, you are pitiful. You make everything…something!!!” one commenter wrote. Another joked: “She is checking the battery percentage, of course everyone in Washington is a robot.”