The White House notes that representatives of the United States, including former Secretaries of State Hillary Clinton and Madeleine Albright, along with German Chancellor Angela Merkel have all visited the Saudi king, and have all shaken hands with members of the Saudi royal family.
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Former Vice President Dick Cheney was one of Obama’s most vocal critics and said an American leader should never bow to anyone. However, a State Department spokesperson at the time told CNN that, “It’s a natural response of the President the first time he meets the Japanese head of state, to show a sign of respect.”
