Twitter Reacts To Melania Trump’s Refusal To Hold Donald Trump's Hand At Israel Airport

UPDATE: 2:19 p.m. EDT — Lightning may very well strike in the same place twice. Melania Trump has seemingly snubbed the president's attempts at holding her hand for the second time in as many days. Just about 24 hours after she seemed to reject his hand in Israel, the first lady used a variation of the same move as she and President Donald Trump emerged from Air Force One after landing in Rome in advance of meeting Pope Francis on Tuesday.

Twitter once again reacted with apparent glee by rallying around the first lady and suggesting she would rather not be married to the president.

UPDATE: 1:32 p.m. EDT — Twitter users were posting pictures of former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle holding hands in public in response to current first lady Melania Trump's apparent hand-holding snub of President Donald Trump.

The posts on social media were apparent attempts to juxtapose the Obamas' seeming marital bliss with the Trumps' lack of public displays of affection.

UPDATE: 11:33 a.m. EDT — The way Melania Trump swatted away President Donald Trump's hand on Monday was an indication that the first lady was standing up for herself, according to a body language expert.

"He was walking way in front to show his power and putting his hand back to lead her like a child, her hand went under his and up and out to say 'No, you can’t lead me like a child,'" Patti Wood told the Independent on Tuesday, one day after the incident in Israel went viral. "He wants to be seen as a president. Not as part of a presidential couple."

UPDATE: 10:47 a.m. EDT — The first lady's hand-swat to President Donald Trump may have actually been done out of an abundance of love for her husband, the San Jose Mercury News has suggested. While many news outlets have painted a picture of a docile first lady, Melania Trump has reportedly grown more involved in — and protective of — the president's image.

"Like Donald Trump, perception is said to be key to Melania Trump," Martha Ross wrote. "Perhaps she thought it somehow wasn’t traditional or professional for first couples to hold hands as they deplane to meet world leaders on official state visits."

UPDATE: 9:34 a.m. EDT — Melania Trump's apparent swatting away of the president's hand when he reached for hers was not the first awkward moment between the first couple on their presidential trip abroad. While in Saudi Arabia, President Trump and the first lady could be seen at a welcome ceremony loosely touching hands, but stopping short of all-out holding them. Her vibrant wardrobe belied her telling visage, the Washington Post wrote Tuesday morning.

"The eye is automatically drawn to her. But by the set of her mouth and the distant look in her eyes, she does not invite your gaze to linger. You are not welcome to lean in closer," Robin Givhan wrote. "She demands that you look away."

One day later, the first lady dismissed the president's attempt to hold her hand in plain sight in what has been called "the swat heard 'round the world."

UPDATE: 4:34 a.m. EDT — Reactions are still pouring in to the video of first lady Melania Trump slapping away the hand of her husband President Donald Trump at an Israeli airport in Tel Aviv on Monday. Here are some of the latest memes and posts mocking the incident.

Original story:

President Donald Trump and his family arrived in Israel on Monday after completing their trip to Saudi Arabia and moments after disembarking from Air Force One in Tel Aviv, managed to stir up something of a controversy. First lady Melania Trump was caught on camera slapping her husband’s hand away when the latter reached out to hold hers.

The incident took place when the couple walked side by side with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara Netanyahu, who were holding hands. Melania was a few steps behind, and the president stretched out his hand backwards to take his wife’s hand. His hand was met with a flick from his wife, in clear view of the international press gathered at the scene.

What appeared to be Melania’s refusal or lack of interest in holding her husband’s hand became a source of mixed reactions from people on the social media, Buzzfeed reported.

Many Twitter users sarcastically identified with what they thought Melania must be feeling at the time, adding that the first lady was upholding what many American's feel about their current president. They took for granted that she was trying to avoid being in physical contact with her husband.

Some users also reminded the world of the infamous "grab 'em by the pussy" remark made by Trump in the Access Hollywood tape that emerged during his presidential campaigning days.

Melania has also been criticized in the past for not wanting to live with her husband in the White House. Instead, she resides with their son, Barron, in Trump Tower, New York City. Given that fact, a Twitter user commented that Melania must be fed up of being forced to share the same room with her husband during their ongoing trip in Middle East and craving to return to her “sanctuary.”

Others found a few more innovative ways to remind Melania that there were a number of methods she could use if she wanted to keep her husband at bay. A user even likened her situation to the sexually abused character of Sansa Stark in the popular television series "Game Of Thrones."

Some social media users also pointed out that the Trumps should not try their hand at replicating the intimate relationship shared between former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama, who were frequently seen displaying their love for each other in front of the cameras.

On the other hand, conservative media outlets like Gateway Pundit and Breitbart shed a different light on the viral video that showed Melania slapping away her husband’s extended hand. Apart from branding it “fake news” propagated by left-aligned media, they were also quick to point out that the gesture from Melania was not in fact a slap but a “low five” on a great start to the second phase of their mission to unite the Muslim world.

Liberal media like the Blaze, the Washington Examiner and the Independent Journal Review said it as the rest of the world saw it: Melania appearing to refuse to hold the hand of the president of the United States.