Watch: President Trump Greets American Troops in Iraq
One received a particularly awkward handshake.

Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty
President Trump on Wednesday tweeted a video montage of his and first lady Melania Trump’s surprise trip to western Iraq to visit U.S. troops, featuring a supremely awkward handshake with an unsuspecting soldier. “@FLOTUS Melania and I were honored to visit our incredible troops at Al Asad Air Base in Iraq,” Trump wrote. “GOD BLESS THE U.S.A.!” The video clips, accompanied by the song “God Bless The U.S.A,” show the Trumps mingling with soldiers at the base, posing for photos and meeting with representatives. There are also multiple shots of Trump shaking hands with the troops, including one clip (at about 37 seconds) where he attempts to shake a hand while holding his arm upright before he appears to bat the hand away. This visit, Trump’s first to a base in a combat zone, continues the time-honored tradition of presidents visiting the troops on Christmas.

Kamala Harris’ Playlist: Yes, It’s Political, But It’s Smart
.@FLOTUS Melania and I were honored to visit our incredible troops at Al Asad Air Base in Iraq. GOD BLESS THE U.S.A.! pic.twitter.com/rDlhITDvm1
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 26, 2018
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.