‘He Curtsied?’: Trump Gets Confused, Makes Awkward Gesture Toward World Leader He Clearly Hoped No One Noticed
President Donald Trump has had several moments go viral on social media, including his childlike behavior and his embarrassing need to be the center of […] ‘He Curtsied?’: Trump Gets Confused, Makes Awkward Gesture Toward World Leader He Clearly Hoped No One Noticed
Black News 
President Donald Trump has had several moments go viral on social media, including his childlike behavior and his embarrassing need to be the center of attention.
Most people would find the 79-year-old’s insatiable quest for attention humiliating, to say the least, and whether he’s handing out gold medals or receiving stolen Nobel Peace Prizes, Trump always brings the drama.
As the war in Iran intensifies, critics are revisiting his past behavior with a world leader, arguing the optics land very differently in the middle of a global conflict.
Images from Trump’s visit to meet with King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, were resurfaced online. Footage shows the king awarding Trump the country’s highest civilian honor, the Collar of Abdulaziz al Saud.
At one point during the ceremony, held at the grand Saudi Royal Court, the former reality TV star had an awkward, rather clumsy moment when he went to receive his gold medal. Trump bent over for the King to place the gold medal around his neck while he performed a move that looked similar to a woman’s.
Folks enjoyed watching the moment after a video was shared on social media, and they couldn’t tell if Trump was trying to bow or curtsy to the King.
“I spit out my drink and almost died! He curtsied?! What is he? A little girl?!” one user replied after seeing the message. Another added, “This is hilarious.”
View on Threads
Fans online went back and forth debating if Trump gave a bow, though most agreed, “Wasn’t a bow, it was a curtsy.”
One blunt comment to sum up the moment read, “Remember when Donald Trump bowed to the Saudi King in front of the world? It’s all making sense now.”
Trump’s 2017 moment was revived on Monday, as new clips garnered laughs at the White House, showing the president presenting the Medal of Honor to soldiers, including retired Army Command Sgt. Maj. Terry P. Richardson, for saving 85 lives during the Vietnam War.
After putting the medal around Richardson’s neck, Trump slapped him on the back and then patted him on his shoulders like a dog. The president then patted Richardson’s hand several times while shaking it, and after a video was shared on Threads, users took note of Trump’s treatment of the former soldier.
Trump puts a medal on a veteran pic.twitter.com/HOEOEEToEe
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 2, 2026
One user joked that the medal, which appeared to be fastened way too tightly, “Like a dog collar. Good boy.”
Another asked, “Why is it so tight? They didn’t have a longer ribbon? wtf?”
The dog moment was similar to the way Trump patted journalist Lawrence Jones last September during an appearance on “Fox & Friends.” He used the same rhetoric, praising Jones’ career thought many online believe Trump was actually demeaning the Black reporter.
“Lawrence is doing a good job,” Trump said as he patted him twice on the knee. “I said you were gonna do well.”
Jones had been smiling until that point, but his smile quickly faded after Trump’s knee-petting. It’s clear Trump has a habit of keeping his hands to himself, and he’s never been able to read the room when being inappropriate.
