Trump's Hug With Logan Paul Is More Loving Than We've Ever Seen Him With Melania
Donald Trump has had many awkward moments caught on camera with his wife Melania, but he was unusually at ease when embracing new BFF Logan Paul. To promote the former president appearing on Paul's "IMPAULSIVE" podcast, Donald Trump Jr. shared a clip on X, formerly Twitter, of his dad squaring off against the YouTuber-turned-fighter in the same manner that boxers do before fights. The clip ended with Donald and Paul breaking into laughter and the one-time POTUS leaning forward and hugging the podcast host with a giant smile across his face. It appeared to be a genuine bonding moment for the pair who seemed very comfortable together. "Are they trying to kiss?" one X user even replied.
Going to be a must watch podcast tomorrow with @realDonaldTrump and @LoganPaul!!! pic.twitter.com/CFT1EDitZR
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) June 12, 2024
The duo shared more laughs in another clip posted by the "IMPAULSIVE" podcast's X account. In that video, Donald gifted Paul and his co-host some Trump merch including t-shirts with photos of the former president's mugshot. "Is this your mugshot? No way! You're gangster!" Paul said. "Well Elvis had one, Frank Sinatra had one — but we've eclipsed them," Donald said about his hot-selling tee. The controversial duo had laughs at the expense of Joe Biden in another clip. Paul joked about having the president on his podcast. "You know what chance you have of getting him on? I'd say less than one percent," Donald said with a smirk, as Paul giggled.
The former POTUS' bromance with Paul only highlighted the various cringe-worthy moments Donald has shared with Melania as the couple have had multiple awkward displays of forced PDA.
Donald Trump gives Melania Trump a handshake instead of a hug
During Donald Trump's presidency he rarely looked comfortable showing affection towards Melania. At his inauguration in January 2017, the married pair seemed strangely awkward when they had to share embraces. "I don't see any warmth or true love and compassion in that relationship whatsoever," a body language expert told Mic at the time. "If you didn't know that they were married, you wouldn't know that they are married," they added. Prior to the event, Donald and Melania had a similar exchange at the Republican National Convention when he accepted the nomination to run for president. The couple gave each other stilted hugs at an event which should have been celebratory.
Perhaps the most cringe-inducing physical interaction between Donald and Melania came when she introduced him at a military event in September 2017. After she spoke, Donald approached his wife and greeted her with a firm handshake in place of a hug. The following year, cameras caught Donald reaching out to hold Melania's hand while they visited French President Emmanuel Macron. Instead of cusping hands, though, their fingers just sort of grazed one another's.
The uncomfortable body language between the Trumps continued after his presidency. In April, an ex-aide for Melania said her body language spoke volumes about the state of their marriage. "Looks like Melania Trump is about to dive head first into a pool of sharks & nobody's going to protect her," Stephanie Winston Wolkoff wrote on X alongside a photo of the couple.