When the president and first lady flew to Saudi Arabia, they offered their condolences to the royal family for the loss of their king and met the new leader, Salman.
But the story trending social media was Michelle Obama’s decision not to follow local custom and cover her head.
Although Western women are not required to wear veils or head coverings, the hashtag #Michelle_Obama_Immodest was trending in Arabic on Twitter after the first lady met with the new king and his all-male entourage, many of whom would not shake her hand, reports the NY Daily News.
Although she did not cover her head, the First Lady stood slightly behind her husband in the receiving line and smiled warmly at everyone.
Other notable female leaders such as Nancy Pelosi and Condoleeza Rice have visited Saudi Arabia as well, and while neither of them wore veils, their black, conservative clothing, in contrast to Michelle’s bright blue suit, won them general approval.