President Joe Biden was denounced for Friday’s fist-bump greeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, with some of the strongest condemnations coming from the liberal side of the political aisle.
Biden had promised during the presidential campaign to make Saudi Arabia a global “pariah” over human rights, including the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
However, as a major oil-producing nation, the kingdom has grown in importance while Biden searches for ways to reduce high gasoline prices that are causing a major domestic political headache.
Although prior to the trip, Biden said he would not raise the subject of oil, on Friday he announced a deal might be announced in a few weeks to increase oil production, according to The New York Times.
U.S. President Joe Biden greets Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with a fist bump. He was shown shaking hands with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz https://t.co/N39URZpKms pic.twitter.com/fjkDmVXv0r
— Reuters (@Reuters) July 16, 2022
But such policy points as Biden scored were overshadowed by the fist-bump greeting, coming as it did after the Biden White House had announced Biden would not be shaking hands on the trip due to COID-19 concerns.
Fred Ryan, publisher and CEO of The Washington Post, led the way in criticizing Biden, according to Fox News.
“The fist bump between President Biden and Mohammed bin Salman was worse than a handshake — it was shameful. It projected a level of intimacy and comfort that delivers to MBS the unwarranted redemption he has been desperately seeking,” Ryan wrote.
Will Joe Biden do anything to avoid changing energy policy here at home?
Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff of California also joined the parade of criticism.
“If we ever needed a visual reminder of the continuing grip oil-rich autocrats have on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, we got it today. One fist bump is worth a thousand words,” Schiff tweeted.
“Yes, it’s a fist bump rather than a handshake. BUT Biden still fist-bumped the man who ordered the murder — and bone-saw dismemberment — of a U.S. journalist, after refusing to say if he would directly confront MBS on Jamal Khashoggi’s murder,” Washington Post reporter Ashley Parker wrote.
Republican Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida noted how Biden was playing up to the Saudis for oil, while attacking the energy sector in America.
“A fist bump for the Saudis and the middle finger to Texas, Colorado, Alaska, North Dakota, and New Mexico, who stand ready to produce the oil Biden is begging Saudi Arabia for. America LAST,” he tweeted.
A fist bump for the Saudis and the middle finger to Texas, Colorado, Alaska, North Dakota, and New Mexico, who stand ready to produce the oil Biden is begging Saudi Arabia for.
America LAST. https://t.co/0cmNj6UynU
— Congressman Byron Donalds (@RepDonaldsPress) July 15, 2022
A fist bump for the Crown Prince, and a slap in the face for Texas oil and gas workers. https://t.co/G7KKkL1y7k
— Congressman Michael Cloud (@RepCloudTX) July 15, 2022
I don’t want to make too much about optics, but Biden’s fist bump with Saudi Prince MBS seems to be the death knell of the admin’s values-based foreign policy. The Indo-Pacific will take note. pic.twitter.com/LJtNwK0nTS
— Derek J. Grossman (@DerekJGrossman) July 15, 2022
This is the way Saudi Arabia’s pariah status ends.
Not with a bang, but with a fist bump.
— Alex Ward (@alexbward) July 15, 2022
Biden insisted that he brought up the Khashoggi murder during his meeting with the Saudi prince. He said the prince said he was not responsible, and Biden claimed he told that prince that he believed the prince was behind the killing.
