Fox Reporter Asks Bemused Jean-Pierre If Biden ‘Feels Slighted’ Because Saudis Did ‘Dances and Fanfare’ For Xi But Not For Biden

Fox Business White House Correspondent Ed Lawrence asked a perplexed White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre if President Joe Biden feels “slighted” by the absence of “dancing and fanfare” during his visit to Saudi Arabia that has been accorded to Xi Jingping during his current visit.

At Wednesday’s White House briefing, Jean-Pierre was so bemused by Lawrence’s question — contrasting the welcome Biden received during his July trip with that extended to Xi during his present trip — that she had to ask him twice to repeat the question.

MR. LAWRENCE: Just one more on — President Xi is now in Saudi Arabia speaking with the King and the Crown Prince. There was much fanfare around his visit. Does the President feel slighted at all with his visit, which didn’t get as much pomp and circumstance?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I’m sorry, say that one more time.

MR. LAWRENCE: So, there were dances and fanfare around the visit from President Xi coming, and the President didn’t get the same kind of reception in Saudi Arabia. I’m wondering if there’s any slight —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: They met in Bali — right? — with — with —

MR. LAWRENCE: They met in Bali, but I’m talking about when the President went to Saudi Arabia to visit MBS and — the Crown Prince.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: And so, your question is —

MR. LAWRENCE: My question is: Does he feel slighted that —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No.

MR. LAWRENCE: — there wasn’t the same kind of fanfare?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No, not at all. We’re going to keep moving.

President Biden’s visit in July was marked by a controversial “fist-bump” with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in lieu of a handshake, a lot of public wrangling over how vehemently Biden challenged MBS on the issue of human rights, and Saudi officials bullying the press — but no dancing swordsmen or other such fanfare.

Watch above via The White House.

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