No Melania, no problem.
Without the first lady on President Donald Trump’s Middle East trip the women of Trumpworld have been stealing the show.
On Wednesday night the president had White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and longtime aide Margo Martin accompany him in the Beast to the state dinner hosted by Qatar’s Emir Tamin bin Hamad Al Thani at the opulent Lusail Palace.
Leavitt wore a violet caped dress, while Martin sported a black pantsuit and big heels.
White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles went with a light yellow blazer.
There were questions ahead of the trip about whether women in Trump’s entourage would cover their heads in Saudi Arabia – the first stop of the three country tour.
Trump had been critical in 2015 when then first lady Michelle Obama didn’t wear a headscarf.
‘Many people are saying it was wonderful that Mrs. Obama refused to wear a scarf in Saudi Arabia, but they were insulted,’ Trump tweeted at the time. ‘We have enuf enemies.’
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt wore a violet caped dress to Wednesday night’s state dinner hosted by Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani
Longtime aide Margo Martin (left) can be seen greeting President Donald Trump in the receiving line wearing a black pantsuit and high heels
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt (left) wore a grey pantsuit to daytime meetings in Doha, Qatar on Wednesday
White House Chief of Staff wore a light yellow blazer to meetings in Doha and then later to the state dinner, where business dress is appropriate
But two years later in 2017 during their last trip to the region, first lady Melania Trump also opted for a more western-look.
That’s been the case on this week’s trip as well – as Trump has yet to tour any Muslim religious sites, in which it would be appropriate for women to cover their heads.
On Tuesday, during meetings with Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman or ‘MBS,’ Wiles left her silver bob uncovered, and wore a baby blue oversized blazer over a conservative black top, black slacks and pointed black block heels.
Leavitt also went with pastels – wearing a shiny mint green pantsuit as she bustled alongside the president, Cabinet secretaries, top aides and the White House press at the Royal Court.
Martin, who serves as a special assistant and communications adviser to the president, shared a picture of her look on her Instagram page.
She chose a baby blue pantsuit over a white top – and posed in front of a sign boasting the name of the Saudi capital.
On Wednesday, Leavitt was spotted in a grey pantsuit during daytime meetings with the emir.
Qatar’s dress code is less restrictive than Saudi Arabia’s and Saudi has loosened up – especially for western women – in recent years.
President Donald Trump’s female aides wore western clothes on his trip this week to Saudi Arabia, following the lead of how first lady Melania Trump dressed when she visited the kingdom in 2017. Here longtime aide Margo Martin sports a baby blue pantsuit in Riyadh
White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles (right) sported a baby blue oversized blazer over a black top and paired the look with black tapered trousers and a black block heel. She walks alongside Reema bint Bandar Al Saud (left), Saudi’s ambassador to the United States
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt (center) wore a mint green pantsuit during meetings Tuesday at the Royal Court between President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Prince Mohammed bin Salman or ‘MBS’
In 2018, MBS proclaimed that women no longer had to wear a hijab and an abaya by law, unless visiting religious sites.
During the 2017 trip to Saudi, Melania Trump didn’t visit a mosque, where the first lady would have needed to cover her head to be culturally appropriate.
However, Ivanka Trump visited the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi during a trip to the United Arab Emirates in February 2020 and wore a head covering.
The president heads to Abu Dhabi on Thursday – and could follow suit.
He’s expected to return to Washington on Friday.