We Have Come A Long Way Since The Fist Bump
Segment # 437
The comparisons between past presidential trips and the one just completed by Donald Trump has re-defined the concept of successful diplomacy. Regardless of the degree of impairment by Trump Derangement Syndrome most politically savy Dems and media talking heads are avoiding blatant attacks. And a few Dems have even commented positively about the diplomatic success. The reception afforded President Trump as symbolized by the hair swinging tradition, sword dances, lavish dinners, fighter jet escorts, and sheer volume of participants on both sides is unknown since oil was first discovered in the Arab world in 1932 in Bahrain at the Jebel Dukhan field.
The hair-swinging tradition in the Middle East, often referred to as part of the Khaleegy (or Khaliji) dance, is a cultural performance prevalent in Persian Gulf countries like the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, and Qatar. The name "Khaleegy" means "Gulf" in Arabic, reflecting its regional origin. This dance is typically performed by women at social gatherings such as weddings, festivals, or official ceremonies to honor guests, symbolizing hospitality, respect, and joy.
Key Features of the Khaleegy Dance
Hair Movement: The dance is characterized by women rhythmically swinging their long hair from side to side, often in sync with music. This movement is a central element, symbolizing beauty, pride, and cultural heritage. The hair is typically left uncovered, which is a notable exception to modesty norms in some Gulf societies where women often cover their hair in public.
Attire: Dancers wear a long, loose tunic called a thobe or jalabiya, often colorful and elaborately embroidered, though attire may be more subdued for formal state ceremonies. The costume enhances the visual effect of the hair-swinging and gentle movements.
Movements: The dance involves slow, shuffling steps with minimal hip movement, focusing on the head, hands, and the flowing thobe. Hand gestures may symbolize sea creatures or emotions, connecting the dance to the Gulf’s maritime heritage.
Music and Context: Accompanied by traditional Gulf music, such as the Adani or Nagazy rhythms, the dance often includes hand-clapping and poetic lyrics. It is performed in rows, with women in close proximity, creating a unified visual effect.
Cultural Significance
Bedouin Roots: The hair-swinging dance is rooted in Bedouin traditions, often performed to celebrate victories, weddings, or to welcome esteemed guests. It reflects values of generosity and community.
Symbolism: The rhythmic hair tossing is seen as a gesture of honor and joy, with long hair symbolizing beauty and purity. In some interpretations, it is viewed as a welcoming gesture for a protector or liberator, particularly in ceremonial contexts.
Cultural Exception: Despite Islamic modesty norms requiring women to cover their hair in public in many Gulf countries, the hair-swinging dance is a culturally accepted exception, especially during state-sponsored performances for diplomacy or hospitality. This is often described as a "gray zone" where cultural traditions take precedence over strict religious practices.�s, such as during the performance for Donald Trump’s visit to the UAE in May 2025, where women performed the hair-swinging dance as part of a welcoming ceremony.
Analysis and Context
Rarity of Documented Cases: The Khaleegy dance is primarily a social dance performed at weddings and celebrations, not a standard diplomatic protocol. Its use in official ceremonies, as seen with Trump, is a deliberate cultural display reserved for significant guests, reflecting Gulf traditions of hospitality. The lack of widespread documentation for other leaders suggests it is not a routine honor but rather a selective cultural gesture.
Other Leaders: No other specific instances of Khaleegy being performed for international leaders in modern times (post-2000) are explicitly documented in the provided sources or broader web data. High-profile visits by leaders like Barack Obama, Vladimir Putin, or Xi Jinping to Gulf countries (e.g., Saudi Arabia, UAE, or Qatar) often involve cultural displays such as the Ardah (a male sword dance) or Al-Ayyala (a mock battle dance), but Khaleegy is not mentioned. For example:
Obama’s 2016 visit to Saudi Arabia included a male Ardah performance, with no reference to female hair-swinging dances.
Putin’s 2019 visit to the UAE featured traditional music and male dances, but no Khaleegy performance was noted.
Cultural and Gender Considerations: Khaleegy is a women’s dance, and its performance in public for male leaders is a cultural exception in conservative Gulf societies, often justified as a state-sponsored display of heritage. This may limit its use compared to male-dominated dances like Ardah, which are more commonly showcased for diplomatic guests.
Potential Undocumented Cases: Gulf countries frequently host leaders from Asia, Europe, and Africa, and smaller-scale cultural performances may include Khaleegy, especially in private settings or women-only gatherings (e.g., for female dignitaries). However, these are rarely publicized due to cultural norms around women’s performances.
President Donald Trump’s Middle East trip from May 13-16, 2025, focused on Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, emphasizing economic deals, geopolitical shifts, and cultural gestures like the Khaleegy dance. Below is a summary of the key accomplishments based on available information, critically examined for accuracy and context. Note that some claims, especially from X posts, lack verification and are treated as inconclusive unless corroborated.
Economic and Trade Achievements
Saudi Arabia Investment Commitments:
Secured a $600 billion investment pledge from Saudi Arabia into the U.S. across industries like energy, defense, technology, and AI data centers. This was announced at a U.S.-Saudi investment forum in Riyadh, attended by tech CEOs like Elon Musk (Tesla), Jensen Huang (Nvidia), and Sam Altman (OpenAI).
Signed a $142 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia, described as the largest ever, strengthening military cooperation.
Pushed for Saudi Arabia’s state oil company, Aramco, to list its IPO on U.S. exchanges, aiming to deepen economic ties.
Trump aimed for $1 trillion in total investments from Saudi Arabia, though only $600 billion was confirmed during the trip.
Qatar Boeing Deal:
Finalized a $96 billion deal for Qatar to purchase 160 Boeing jets, adjusted down from an initially cited $200 billion figure. Described as the largest Boeing jet order in history, it bolstered U.S. aviation and defense sectors.
Additional agreements included Qatar’s purchase of U.S. drone and anti-drone technology from companies like Raytheon and investments in the U.S. energy sector.
Broader Investment Goals:
Trump sought deals exceeding $1 trillion across the three nations, focusing on aviation, nuclear power, AI, and infrastructure. While the total fell short of the $3 trillion claimed in some X posts, the combined Saudi and Qatari commitments reached nearly $700 billion.
Lifted Biden-era restrictions on advanced semiconductor chip exports to the UAE and Saudi Arabia, facilitating tech cooperation and countering Chinese influence in the region.
Geopolitical and Diplomatic Achievements
Syria Policy Shift:
Announced the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Syria following the fall of the Assad regime, aiming to normalize relations with Syria’s new president, Ahmad al-Sharaa. Trump met al-Sharaa informally in Riyadh, marking the first U.S.-Syria presidential meeting in nearly 25 years. He called al-Sharaa a “tough guy” with a “real shot” at stabilizing Syria.
Claims on X about securing “control over Syrian oil and mineral rights” lack evidence from credible sources and appear exaggerated or fabricated.
Push for Saudi-Israeli Normalization:
Urged Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to join the Abraham Accords to normalize relations with Israel, though no agreement was reached during the trip. Analysts noted that Saudi-Israeli normalization remains stalled due to the Gaza conflict and Palestinian inclusion issues.
The trip avoided direct engagement with the Israel-Hamas war, with no visit to Israel or Palestine, signaling a focus on Gulf economic ties over regional conflicts.
Iran Nuclear Talks:
Advocated for a new nuclear deal with Iran, urging Tehran to take a “better path” while threatening “massive maximum pressure” if negotiations failed. No concrete deal was announced, and claims of a “major nuclear deal with Iran” on X are unverified and likely overstated.
Trump’s team signaled openness to indirect U.S.-Iran talks, with Saudi Arabia hosting related discussions, though progress remained uncertain.
Strengthening Gulf Alliances:
Met with Gulf Cooperation Council leaders in Riyadh, reinforcing U.S.-Gulf security and economic partnerships to counter Russian and Chinese influence.
Visited U.S. military personnel at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, home to the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East, reaffirming security ties.
Signed over a dozen agreements with Saudi Arabia on military, justice, and cultural cooperation, deepening bilateral ties.
Cultural and Symbolic Achievements
Khaleegy Dance Honor:
In Abu Dhabi, Trump was welcomed with the Khaleegy dance, a rare cultural gesture where Emirati women performed hair-swinging movements at Qasr Al Watan. This symbolized Gulf hospitality and was a highlight of the UAE visit, though it sparked debate over modesty norms. No other leaders are confirmed to have received this specific honor in modern times, making it a unique diplomatic gesture.
Lavish welcomes across all three countries included ceremonial escorts (e.g., Saudi F-15 jets for Air Force One, Qatari camel and horse guards), underscoring Trump’s appreciation for pageantry.
Qatar’s Air Force One Offer:
Qatar offered a $400 million Boeing 747 as a potential Air Force One replacement, dubbed a “palace in the sky.” Trump defended it as a transparent “government-to-government transaction,” but it faced bipartisan criticism in the U.S. over ethical concerns and the Emoluments Clause. The deal remained under review, with no final acceptance during the trip.
Critical Analysis
Business vs. Diplomacy: The trip prioritized economic deals over traditional diplomacy, reflecting Trump’s deal-making approach. Critics highlighted potential conflicts of interest due to the Trump Organization’s expanding real estate ventures in all three countries, including luxury skyscrapers and golf courses.
Exaggerated Claims: X posts claiming “$1.2 trillion” in deals or “4 million U.S. jobs” lack substantiation and inflate verified figures. The $600 billion Saudi and $96 billion Qatari deals are confirmed, but broader claims require further evidence.
Geopolitical Limits: While the trip advanced economic ties, it sidestepped pressing regional issues like the Gaza war and Iranian nuclear ambitions, with no breakthroughs on Saudi-Israeli normalization or a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire (despite earlier speculation about a Turkey visit).
Cultural Significance: The Khaleegy dance and lavish welcomes underscored Gulf efforts to flatter Trump, aligning with his preference for pageantry. However, these gestures also fueled domestic U.S. debates over ethics, particularly regarding Qatar’s jet offer.
Conclusion
Trump’s 2025 Middle East trip achieved significant economic wins, including $696 billion in confirmed investments from Saudi Arabia and Qatar, a major Boeing deal, and relaxed tech export rules. Diplomatically, it marked a bold Syria policy shift, pushed for Saudi-Israeli ties, and strengthened Gulf alliances, though it avoided deeper engagement with Gaza or Iran. The Khaleegy dance in the UAE was a rare cultural honor, unique among modern leaders. However, unverified X claims about Syrian resource control or a finalized Iran deal should be dismissed without evidence. The trip’s focus on business over conflict resolution reflects Trump’s priorities but raised ethical concerns tied to his family’s regional business interests.
Broader Diplomatic Cultural Displays
While Khaleegy itself is not widely reported, other Gulf cultural performances are commonly used to honor leaders:
Saudi Arabia: The Ardah dance, involving men with swords, is a standard welcome for leaders like Joe Biden (2022) and Narendra Modi (2019).
Qatar: The Ardah and poetry recitals were performed for FIFA World Cup dignitaries in 2022.
Oman: The Lewa dance, often by men of African descent, is showcased during state visits, as seen during Queen Elizabeth II’s 2010 visit.
These male dances are more frequently documented, likely due to their public nature and alignment with Gulf diplomatic traditions.
Conclusion
The Khaleegy dance has been confirmed as an honor for Donald Trump in 2025, but no other modern international leaders are explicitly documented as receiving this specific dance in available sources. The G20 Summit in 2023 may have included similar elements, but it lacks clear evidence of Khaleegy. The dance’s use in diplomacy is rare, likely due to its feminine and culturally sensitive nature, with Gulf countries favoring male dances like Ardah for broader visibility. If you’re interested in a specific leader or event, I can search for additional details or analyze related cultural practices!