Hands off! Donald Trump shows off his commitment to stopping COVID's spread by avoiding shaking hands with an Air Force Colonel on his way to watch the SpaceX launch

Donald Trump was finally seen trying to practice social distancing when he freaked and dodged a handshake from his official military greeter.

The president, who has repeatedly refused to wear a face mask in public and has been seen flouting social distancing guidelines, appeared to have a change of heart Saturday as he bounded down the steps of Marine One onto the tarmac at the Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland and was met by US Air Force Colonel Donald Schmidt. 

Amusing footage reveals Schmidt greeting the president and extending his arm to shake his hand.

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Presiden Donald Trump reacts as Air Force Colonel Donald Schmidt attempts to shake his hand as he arrives to board Air Force One to travel to Florida to watch the launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket

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Trump arrives at the NASA Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida

The president then leaped back, gestures theatrically and appears to say 'no' to the colonel.   

He then patted Schmidt on the back and the two laughed as they walked across the tarmac to Air Force One.

It was a mark of progress for the president who has repeatedly flouted the CDC's - and his own- guidelines to Americans to wear face masks and keep six foot apart to slow the spread of COIVID-19. 

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Trump and Vice President Mike Pence watch the launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft

But despite him turning down a handshake, he didn't quite manage to keep the six foot distance from the colonel. 

Many Twitter users mocked the president for the exaggerated display. 

'The guy pushing to reopen the country too scared to shake hands,' one user said. 'Even when he manages to do the right thing for once, he finds a way to be an asshat about it. It's like a weird superpower of his,' another wrote.

Trump was getting ready to board Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews for a flight to the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. to watch the launch of two Americans into space aboard a rocket built by Elon Musk's SpaceX.