CNN journalist Anushay Hossain in a recent article reports about Saudi Arabia's relationship with US President Donald Trump's wife. The first major offshoot of Donald Trump can be diplomatically dangerous, but his administration can at least be comforted by the Saudi press admiring his wife. That mischievous country likes the way Melania communicates with them, mostly, as they say, in "classic and conservative" fashion choices. It makes sense for them to love the First Lady because she represents everything they love, especially in a visual matter.
She is silent and reserved, does not require attention (at least not in public), and what is maybe most important, she looks dashing and well-groomed. None of this is unusual when looking who she is married to because the Saudis love to have women behave the same way Trump does. They like their women to look nice in the pictures, not in powerful positions, Hossain concludes.
Photos are very important
Anushay Hossain adds that Melania's husband and the Saudi government understand the strength and a meaning of a good photo opportunity, and the Saudis are particularly sensitive to this, especially of those photographs that will span the world, for which Melania looked perfect in Stella McCartney's comic.
In the country in which women live under men's protection, are not allowed to drive or vote. The Saudi press also appreciated that Melania and Trump's daughter Ivanka advocated Saudi "lawful feminism," the same kind of feminism advocated by Trump. Businesses run by entrepreneurs were visited separately. That's how the government falsely promotes women's rights.
Melania did not cover her hair
Although they have been complaining about the fact that neither the first lady nor the first daughter put a scarf on their head, that is really not a serious question. Neither Angela Merkel, Theresa May, or Michelle Obama did in their visits. At the time Trump publicly criticized Michelle Obama, claiming she was so offensive to the "Saudi culture," even though his wife and daughter did just the same.
It is true that the Saudis must wear this scarf by law, but this is not mandatory for wives and female members of the family of foreign diplomats. The head covering should be the least concern of the Trump family: the Saudi press loved Melania (and to a certain level, Ivanka), because they do the same for Trump as well. They perfectly conceal misogyny and tyranny by being handsome, conducive and quiet. In Melania, the Saudi government and their press spotted the perfect spokeswoman, who projects an image that shines in front of one of the most self-deprecating and most oppressive regimes in the world, Hossein concluded.