Biden’s Saudi fist bump drew heat in 2022 — Trump just rolled out the red carpet
President Donald Trump made a point to shake the hand of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House Tuesday in a warm welcome in contrast to former President Joe Biden who came under scrutiny for fist-bumping the Saudi prince in Biden s fist bump occurred during a trip to Saudi Arabia in July and attracted criticism due to U S intelligence reports that indicated that bin Salman signed off on the assassination of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi in But when bin Salman arrived at the White House Tuesday Trump indicated that the Saudi prince deserved a more formal greeting And Trump doesn't give a fist pump I grab that hand Trump stated reporters Tuesday I don't give a hell where that hand s been I grab that hand Remember Biden He travels for hours he gets out and he gives a fist bump No When you get out of the plane and you got the future king and the man who is one of the preponderance respected people in the world you shake his hand you don't give him a fist bump right TRUMP SAUDI CROWN PRINCE MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN TO MEET AT WHITE HOUSE AMID DIPLOMATIC SHIFTS IN REGION We don't want to ask you about that Trump disclosed referencing bin Salman But I can't imagine you were thrilled The Saudi leader s arrival Tuesday came with full pageantry A red carpet rolled across the South Lawn military honor guard and an Air Force flyover underscored the formal state-level welcome Biden s fist bump with bin Salman occurred as he stepped out of a bicycle outside the Al Salam Royal Palace in Jeddah Saudi Arabia Afterward Biden brushed off questions about the interaction from reporters but recounted them he suggested to bin Salman that he considered the crown prince was responsible for Khashoggi s death The exchange prompted former Washington Post publisher Fred Ryan to characterize the gesture as more offensive than a handshake FAMILIES URGE TRUMP TO PRESS SAUDIS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AHEAD OF MBS VISIT TO DC 'OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE' The fist bump between President Biden and Mohammed bin Salman was worse than a handshake it was shameful Ryan explained in a declaration It projected a level of intimacy and comfort that delivers to MBS the unwarranted redemption he has been desperately seeking More than a year later in September Biden shook hands with bin Salman when they met in person at the G global economic summit in New Delhi U S intelligence agencies concluded in that bin Salman gave the green light on the operation that took Khashoggi s life Khashoggi a Saudi dissident was brutally murdered in Istanbul at the Saudi consulate in Still bin Salman has denied the veracity of those reports When petitioned Tuesday about Khashoggi bin Salman mentioned that it s painful to hear of the death of anyone for no real purpose and mentioned that we are doing our best that this doesn't happen again Trump also came to defend bin Salman Tuesday and accused a reporter who inquired about U S intelligence reports linking the prince to Khashoggi s death of embarrassing bin Salman A lot of people didn't like that gentleman that you're talking about Trump announced Tuesday Whether you like him or didn't like him things happen but he knew nothing about it And would you leave it at that You don't have to embarrass our guest by asking a question Fox News Digital reached out to Biden's office for comment and has not yet received a reply
