Former US President Donald Trump criticized current President Joe Biden’s use of a “fist” instead of a handshake during a visit to Saudi Arabia to meet with the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. In an interview with Fox News, Trump expressed his admiration for the Saudi people and questioned Biden’s decisions. He explained that a fist is a symbol of rejection in their culture, and using it was seen as an insult. Trump imitated Biden, saying that he refused to shake hands with the Saudi Crown Prince, leaving the Kingdom feeling offended. During Biden’s visit to Saudi Arabia on July 16, 2022, he shook hands with King Salman bin Abdulaziz using his full hand but greeted the Crown Prince with a fist.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) – Former US President Donald Trump criticized peace with a “fist” between current US President Joe Biden and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman when Biden visited the kingdom months ago.
“I look at Saudi Arabia, I look at what happened, they are wonderful people and they wanted to help us,” Trump said in an interview with “Fox News” channel, criticizing Biden’s policies.
And the former US president continued by saying: “He greeted (the Saudi crown prince) with a fist. Do you know what a fist means? It means: Do not shake my hand because your hand is dirty.”
And Trump added, “This is what a fist means. They (the Saudis) felt offended. You understand that, and he continued, imitating Biden: I do not want to shake hands with you, so let us greet each other with a fist,” he said.
Biden had visited Saudi Arabia on July 16, 2022, where he met the Saudi monarch, King Salman bin Abdulaziz and his crown prince, and chose a fist when he met the Saudi crown prince while shaking King Salman’s hand with his full hand.
The controversy surrounding the greeting exchange between President Biden and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman may have died down, but it seems that the opinions on the matter are still divided. Former President Donald Trump recently weighed in on the issue, criticizing Biden’s use of a fist instead of a handshake with the Saudi Crown Prince. Trump’s comments highlight the continuing tension between the two administrations on foreign policy matters. As the world watches and waits for the next diplomatic move, it remains to be seen if this gesture will have any lasting repercussions on the relationship between the US and Saudi Arabia.
