NATO Summit: Trump Greets in Turkish, Macron Tries to Kiss First Lady’s Hand

NATO Summit: Trump Greets in Turkish, Macron Tries to Kiss First Lady’s Hand

In Ankara, even before the start of NATO’s two‑day summit, Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron became the focus of attention. First, the U.S. president, during the official welcoming ceremony, addressed the soldiers in Turkish while passing the honor guard: “Merhaba asker” (“Hello, soldiers”). The French president then found himself in an awkward situation when greeting Turkey’s First Lady Emine Erdoğan. Macron attempted to kiss her hand, but she did not allow it, and the moment was captured on camera, sparking new discussions. Earlier, Emmanuel Macron had already drawn debate for his overly friendly greeting with Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Italian media described his behavior as excessively informal, and the cheek kiss as inappropriate and even a rude gesture.