President Trump is kicking off a visit to Asia this week, and on Sunday, he landed in Malaysia.
“From the moment he arrived on the tarmac in Kuala Lumpur, fists pumping to the music of drummers beating, he seemed intent on presenting a friendly showman’s face to a part of the world that has been shaken by his aggressive tariffs,” the New York Times reported about the first moments of the president’s Asia trip.
Video of his arrival showed the president performing his trademark “Trump dance’ while Malaysian musicians played.
“Walking off Air Force One, Trump was greeted not just by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and numerous diplomats, but also by a large group of Malaysian dancers and drummers. As he approached the crowd, the president began dancing awkwardly, pumping his arms from side to side in what has become his signature move,” was how The Daily Beast described it.
The Daily Beast also reported that “ahead of Trump’s appearance at the ASEAN summit on Sunday, protestors demonstrated in Kuala Lumpur, bearing signs that read, ‘Dump Trump’ and ‘Make Common Sense Great Again.’ Another banner said, “Trump, you are not welcome in Malaysia.”
MUST WATCH!
President @realDonaldTrump dances at Malaysian arrival ceremony 🇺🇸🇲🇾 pic.twitter.com/e7Zrw3L35Y
— Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) October 26, 2025
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On social media, per Fox News, the White House dubbed the dance “”TRUMP DANCE MALAYSIA VERSION,” while adding the performance was “part of a greeting for Trump laid out by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.”
There were some amused reactions on social media to Trump’s Malaysian dance moves:
This isn’t an old stripper that refuses to retire.
This is histories most embarrassing President humiliating us 10 seconds after landing in Malaysia. 🤡pic.twitter.com/Q9zXVxix45
— Cuckturd (@CattardSlim) October 26, 2025
Last week, after #NoKings, far right wingers made them feel better about missing the fun by noting that old white people can’t dance.
So yeah, you’re right @MargoMartin47. By all means make sure those far right wingers see, um, this is not dancing. https://t.co/zyMIBcKE2S
— emptywheel (check) (@emptywheel) October 26, 2025
When do we greet foreign dignitaries with this https://t.co/Cu7oWs97bF pic.twitter.com/PwLGr6DWPJ
— _its_not_real_ (@_its_not_real_) October 26, 2025
Me when the parish brings out the kibbeh nayyeh on Sunday for my birthday. https://t.co/wka9fgoyIG
— Byzantine, TX (@byzantinetx) October 26, 2025
We got Boris Yeltsin in America before gta6 pic.twitter.com/qav2fNqbeG
— Himanshu Jasaiwal (@HimanshuJasaiw1) October 26, 2025
Photo courtesy of an X screenshot.
