Will Melania Trump Wear Saudi Arabia's Traditional Head Scarf? President Donald Trump Thinks She Should

First lady Melania Trump walked down the aisle of Air Force One at King Khalid International Airport Saturday morning without wearing a head scarf, following in the footsteps of former first lady Michelle Obama, who created a stir when she visited the country in 2015.

However, Melania would not be expected to follow the strict dress codes in the Muslim–dominated country, as Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir told the press on Thursday the first lady would not have to tone down her usual high-fashion looks, while accompanying her husband during their first foreign trip to the Middle Eastern country.

Read: Melania Trump Outfit: What The First Lady Wore In Her First Official White House Portrait

"We welcome any style in clothing," Al-Jubeir told the media last week and said the government "usually doesn’t demand," but makes "suggestions" to visiting female dignitaries.

The president however had been critical of Michelle Obama’s move when she visited Saudi Arabia in 2015 along with the former president. During the Obamas' visit, Trump had tweeted , "Many people are saying it was wonderful that Mrs. Obama refusing to wear a scarf in Saudi Arabia, but they were insulted. We have enuf enemies."

Michelle’s actions were criticized by some as a sign of disrespect towards her hosts and flouting of the country’s custom. However, the White House at the time said she intended to make a statement in a country where women have been discriminated against and have few rights. However, Michelle had previously donned a hijab in 2010, when she visited Jakarta's Istiqlal Mosque.

According to an explanation by the Economist, Saudi Arabia has been known for its varied versions of cloaks for women (jijab, niqab, burqa) that derive from the nation's foundational observance of "sharia" as state law.

"While all versions of Islam suggest a woman should dress modestly, often covering her hair and body, Saudi Arabia is one of the only Muslim-majority countries that legally imposes a dress code (Iran is another)," the article said.

"Women, foreign and local, must wear an abaya (a few get away with long coats) in public places. Muslim—often equated with Saudi—women are said to have to wear a headscarf; foreigners needn't," the article stated.

However, female dignitaries, especially from Western countries, have recently opted out of the Islamic country’s strict dress code, and it is said they sometimes do so to make a statement, according to Yahoo Style.

Melania is not the first one among Western female dignitaries to forgo the traditional head scarf or a hijab.

British Prime Minister Theresa May declined to wear a head scarf during a visit in early April this year. She wanted to make a statement and be an inspiration to women in Saudi Arabia by sending a message to the citizens there about "what women can achieve."

German chancellor Angela Merkel also visited Saudi Arabia with her head uncovered a few weeks later, after her country’s government approved a ban on civil servants, judges and soldiers wearing Islamic full-face veils at work.

Melania is accompanying her husband in a week-long foreign trip that includes five countries and also stops in Rome, Israel, Brussels and Italy. The first couple’s foreign trip came with the administration recently being in turmoil after the sudden dismissal of former FBI Director James Comey.

The president was also accused of Islamophobia for his executive order that imposes a travel ban on people coming into the country from mainly Muslim majority nations.