By Dr Rahim Said
Only Donald J. Trump could turn a diplomatic arrival into a TikTok moment. Forget the guard of honour, the perfectly pressed uniforms, or the solemnity of state visits — this morning, the tarmac at KLIA became the stage for what can only be described as “The Trump Shuffle.”
As Air Force One’s stairs descended, the unmistakable brass blare of Hawaii Five-O filled the humid Malaysian air — and there he was: the 47th President of the United States, red tie swinging like a pendulum, fists pumping in that signature slow-mo dance known to rally crowds and confuse choreographers.
And who better to join in than our own Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim — who, in a rare show of rhythm, gamely swayed his hips in sync?
For a brief, shining moment, Malaysia’s Prime Minister was right there on the red carpet of diplomacy for a less handshake diplomacy but more of hipshake diplomacy.
Observers might call it undignified. I call it inspired. When world leaders usually exchange stiff bows and stiffer statements, Trump and Anwar chose interpretive dance. Somewhere in the archives of Wisma Putra, a protocol officer probably fainted.
But credit where it’s due: Trump knows how to work a crowd. The man who once danced through rallies to YMCA brought the same energy to Kuala Lumpur — only this time, the audience was Cabinet ministers, journalists, and a confused military band wondering if Hawaii Five-O was in the official repertoire.
The symbolism wasn’t lost either. Hawaii Five-O — a song about law, order, and catching crooks — playing for a summit themed “Inclusivity and Sustainability.” You couldn’t script better irony if you tried.
Meanwhile, Anwar’s gentle hip sway — understated, diplomatic — was the perfect Malaysian response. After all, when the most unpredictable man in global politics starts dancing beside you, you either join in or risk being mistaken for the statue of liberty.
Later, Trump reportedly invited Anwar into The Beast — his presidential limousine — for a private chat. One imagines him saying, “You dance good, Anwar. Tremendous rhythm. Fantastic. Fantastic. Fantastic. Maybe I’ll make you my ASEAN ambassador of groove.”
Say what you will about Trump, but he does one thing few leaders manage: he turns even the most ceremonial occasion into content.
Somewhere, a White House staffer may already be uploading “TRUMP DANCES IN MALAYSIA 🇲🇾🔥” to social media, complete with #KLGroove and #MakeASEANDanceAgain.
So, in an age where attention is the world’s rarest currency, Trump just minted a fresh supply — one awkward hip sway at a time.
So yes, welcome to Malaysia, Mr President. We hope you enjoy our nasi lemak, our hospitality, and our ability to keep a straight face when diplomacy meets disco.
Because for one surreal moment, on the tarmac of KLIA, it wasn’t about trade, defence, or geopolitics.
It was about the universal language of the body — and Trump, once again, was moving to his own beat.
The views expressed here are entirely those of the author, Dr Rahim Said