President Trump has bruised hands partly caused by frequent handshaking. Chief of Protocol Monica Crowley needs to be proactive when overseeing events. While ensuring they are dignified and professional, she needs to emphasize appropriate greeting etiquette, perhaps downplaying handshakes for other techniques. Likewise for field organizers at rallies, and whomever else ushers people around at larger Trump gatherings.
President Trump may still choose to shake hands as he sees fit, but event attendees should be forewarned to not extend their hands enthusiastically, eliciting an awkward recoil. Instead, they should be prepared for an alternative greeting such as a nod, brief clap, or thumbs-up gesture, at the president’s spontaneous discretion.
Clearly, when displaying sympathy in the aftermath of tragedy, a hug manifests a natural human emotion for victims; a sturdy handshake does the same for heroic first-responders. If it’s within her ambit, perhaps the Chief of Protocol, with cross-functional teams, can draft greeting guidelines that consider situational awareness.
Maybe handshakes should be reserved for “important” figures, ceremonies, and when “shaking on it” to consummate a deal. For example, President Trump has a looming trip to the U.K. He certainly won’t be bowing to King Charles when he visits the monarch at Windsor Castle, but a firm handshake may be warranted (whether deserving or not), since he will want to be a gracious visitor. Crowley will need to ensure the personal interactions comport with royal protocol, too (back in the day it was a no-no to even touch the Queen).
When meeting a pompous twit like France’s Emmanuel Macron, it’s important that Trump get the “upper hand” with a dominant hand squeeze. These types of handshakes may worsen his bruising, but it’d be worth it to ensure the supercilious French peewee knows his subordinate place.
But those are the exceptions -- Trump shouldn’t feel obliged to shake hands with the multitudes of admirers at every event -- unless he wants to. Instead, here are some alternatives, though I don’t recommend the footshake technique, as the President’s ankles are also swollen.
Then there’s the snobbish method employed by the Polish president’s wife when greeting Trump during his first term. Yet another way is to simply shake the air. Bilious Biden unwittingly perfected this method when greeting ghosts, but Trump could modify it. For example, while looking at his subject, he can acknowledge them by extending his hand, then jiggling it without making contact. It serves the same symbolic purpose, minus the sweaty hand-wringing.
Of course, Trump is in fine fettle overall, so he may revert to more masculine grip if the bruising subsides. Nonetheless, it’s nice to have options to symbolize warmth, peace, respect, appreciation, and agreement, rather than be bruised by symbolic conformity.
It’s also nice to have options to disdain demented Dems, who are beneath a handshake. The middle finger gesticulation may be unbecoming (in public) for our overwhelmingly elected president, but a chin flick toward contemptible leftist detractors sends a suitable message.
