President Biden and Mohammed bin Salman.
Photo: MANDEL NGAN / Getty Images
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The president of the United States, Joe Biden, returns to give something to talk about after his fist bump with the saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, which shocked Twitter, and even the CEO of The Washington Post spoke out.
The greeting between the two has caused so much controversy, because only in 2021 did the Biden administration declassify a report that blamed the crown prince for approve the operation to capture or kill journalist Jamal Khashoggicolaborador de The Washington Post.
On a previous trip to the Middle East, The White House had indicated that as part of the precautions for COVID-19the US president would avoid handshakes.
At that time it was thought that it was an excuse to avoid a handshake between Biden and the crown princebut the president shook hands with almost everyone he greeted on the tarmac upon arrival.
Social networks went crazy after seeing the greeting between the two characters. Among those who took issue with it was Washington Post editor and CEO Fred Ryan, who called the fist bump “embarrassing” in a statement.
“The fist bump between President Biden and Mohammed bin Salman It was worse than a handshake: it was embarrassing. He projected a level of intimacy and comfort that gives MBS the unwarranted redemption he has been desperately seeking.”
While Republican Adam Schiff, strongly criticized the President’s actionpointing to the power of oil-rich autocrats.
“If ever we needed a visual reminder of the continuing control oil-rich autocrats have over US foreign policy in the Middle East, we have it today. A fist bump is worth a thousand words“He expressed through Twitter.
In the face of criticism, the White House has defended the Biden administration’s “strategic” partnership with Saudi Arabia, arguing that the president wants to “make peace” with the country.
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