Share
JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — The publisher and CEO of the Washington Post says it was “shameful” that President Joe Biden fist-bumped Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Friday.
Fred Ryan says in a statement that the informal greeting with the de facto leader of Saudi Arabia “Was worse than a handshake.”
U.S. intelligence agencies have said they believe the crown prince, known familiarly by his initials, MBS, gave the order that resulted in the brutal killing and dismemberment of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was a columnist for the paper.
Ryan added that the fist bump “projected a level of intimacy and comfort that delivers to MBS the unwarranted redemption he has been desperately seeking.”
Biden, as a presidential candidate, had promised to make the kingdom a “pariah” in response to the killing, but he moved to rebuild ties as global energy prices soared in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Rep. Schiff Criticizes the Fist Bump as Well
Hatice Cengiz, Khashoggi’s fiancée, tweeted a screenshot imagining what he would have said in response to the meeting, reading “the blood of MBS’s next victim is on your hands.”
The fist bump that everyone is talking about — and that has upset Democrats in Washington — was only witnessed by Saudi Arabian press. The WH press pool wasn’t allowed to cover Biden’s arrival at the palace. We saw photos on Twitter while holding on a bus. https://t.co/ntt1SeJrkM
— Jenny Leonard (@jendeben) July 15, 2022
California Rep. Adam Schiff, the Democratic chairman of the House Intelligence Committee said “One fist bump is worth a thousand words.”
He added: “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.”
The fist bump marked the first time Biden has met the crown prince since he took office. The brief encounter, which was captured by Saudi television, occurred as Biden stepped out of his presidential limousine after landing in the Red Sea city of Jeddah from Israel.
RELATED TOPICS:
Former MLB All-Star Breaks Ground on BMW/Porsche/Audi Dealership in Clovis
14 hours ago
Fresno, Clovis to Open Cooling Centers as Temperatures Expected to Soar
14 hours ago
Costco Misses Quarterly Revenue Expectations Amid Reduced Consumer Spending
15 hours ago
Tulare County Authorities Respond to Double Shooting in Goshen
15 hours ago
US Appeals Court Reinstates Trump Tariffs, Sowing Market Confusion
15 hours ago
A Program Paying CA Jurors $100 a Day Would End Due to Newsom’s Budget Cuts
15 hours ago
Some Glaciers Will Vanish No Matter What, Study Finds
15 hours ago
Canada Wants to Kill 400 Ostriches. RFK Jr. and Dr. Oz Want to Save Them.
16 hours ago
Tulare County Man Convicted of Child Molestation During Burglary Faces Life Without Parole
12 hours ago
Categories

Tulare County Man Convicted of Child Molestation During Burglary Faces Life Without Parole

Fresno Man Arrested After Stolen City Vehicle Pursuit, Fires in Madera County

Former MLB All-Star Breaks Ground on BMW/Porsche/Audi Dealership in Clovis

Fresno, Clovis to Open Cooling Centers as Temperatures Expected to Soar

Costco Misses Quarterly Revenue Expectations Amid Reduced Consumer Spending

Tulare County Authorities Respond to Double Shooting in Goshen

US Appeals Court Reinstates Trump Tariffs, Sowing Market Confusion
