About That Salute
15th June 2018
Trump extended his hand to shake the general’s. The general, though, used his hand to salute Trump. The president saluted back, as the general extended his hand to Trump. Then, the two finally shook hands, as Trump had intended.
Thus, Trump was merely responding in kind to the gesture of respect paid him by the general. If the Saudi king had bowed first the Obama and Obama had bowed back, you would have some equivalence. In that event, I doubt that Trump or anyone else would have criticized the then-president.