Washington DC: An awkward moment unfolded during the October 14 bilateral meeting between US President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the White House Middle East Peace Summit, after Erdoğan’s hijab-wearing translator appeared to delay translations and reportedly declined to shake Trump’s hand.

The interaction, captured on video, went viral on social media. Have a look:

🚨⚡️UNUSUAL

Turkish President Erdoğan's insistence on bringing his personal translator, the "hijabi" one, during his greeting to President Trump was notable, but she was slow in translating and refused to shake his hand.

The two presidents exchanged words in their own languages… pic.twitter.com/Mz2tuF2vuh — RussiaNews 🇷🇺 (@mog_russEN) October 14, 2025

Awkward Exchange During Greeting

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