DONALD Trump’s first meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel was expected to be a cool affair. Merkel has been openly critical of Trump’s travel ban, while Trump tweeted Merkel was “ruining Germany”.

There was no more evidence of this tense relationship when Trump “ignored” Merkel over a handshake.

As photographers asked Merkel and Trump to shake hands in the Oval Office, Merkel leans in and quietly asks, “Do you want to have a handshake?”

Watch what happens.

WATCH: Pres. Trump ignores German Chancellor Merkel when she asks him if he wants to do a handshake during photo op in Oval Office today. pic.twitter.com/1piyf4hze5 — NBC Nightly News (@NBCNightlyNews) March 17, 2017

It was awkward, but at least it meant Merkel dodged a repeat of the painful handshake marathon which went on in February, when Trump and visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe grasped hands for a painfully long 17 seconds.

An honor to host Prime Minister @AbeShinzo in the United States. pic.twitter.com/f6TvfZ6sMj — President Trump (@POTUS) February 10, 2017

Meanwhile, the Merkel meeting became more awkward when Trump said he may have ‘something in common’ with Merkel, who had her phone tapped by the Obama administration.

His comments came despite the White House apologising for press secretary Sean Spicer’s claim that the British communications spy agency were behind an alleged wiretap of Trump Tower.

Spicer cited media commentator Judge Andrew Napolitano on Fox News claiming that Mr Trump was under surveillance by GCHQ.

“Judge Andrew Napolitano made the following statement, quote, ‘Three intelligence sources have informed Fox News that President Obama went outside the chain of command (to spy on Trump). He didn’t use the NSA, he didn’t use the CIA ... he used GCHQ,’” Spicer told journalists.

Despite the White House apologising for those comments, Mr Trump didn’t appear to be backing down on his wiretap claim.

“At least we have something in common,” Mr Trump said to a visibly surprised Ms Merkel, who was angry after it was revealed that the National Security Agency had tapped her phone under the Obama administration.

He deflected the blame to Fox News, saying “go and ask Fox” when confronted on the legitimacy of the wiretap claim.

The UK’s GCHQ issued a rare public denial of what it calls “utterly ridiculous” claims it spied on Mr Trump, acknowledging that the vehement tone of its statement was “unusual”.

“Recent allegations made by media commentator Judge Andrew Napolitano about GCHQ being asked to conduct ‘wire-tapping’ against the then-president elect are nonsense,” a GCHQ spokesman said.

“They are utterly ridiculous and should be ignored,” the spokesman said in a statement.

Prime Minister Theresa May’s spokesman, James Slack, said the British government has made it clear to the US that the “ridiculous” claims should be ignored.

He said Friday that Washington has assured Britain they will not be repeated.

GCHQ’s press office said that it was “not unusual” for the agency to make public comment but acknowledged that “perhaps the tone of it was unusual”.

The agency does not normally comment on intelligence matters, though it has stepped up its public relations in recent months, including for recruitment drives and warnings on cybersecurity.

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Britain and the United States — along with Australia, Canada and New Zealand — are part of the “Five Eyes” intelligence sharing alliance forged from the embers of World War II.

Mr Trump accused former president Barack Obama on March 4 of a “Nixon/Watergate”-like wire-tapping plot that would almost certainly break US law.

Spicer repeated the allegations, quoting from the Fox News report in which Napolitano spoke.

Members of Congress from both parties who are investigating the claims have found no evidence to support them.

Tim Farron, leader of Britain’s Liberal Democrats, an opposition party, called Spicer’s repetition of the claims made by Napolitano “shameful”.

“Trump is compromising the vital UK-US security relationship to try to cover his own embarrassment,” he said, adding: “This harms our and US security.”