PresidentDonald Trumpclosed out his time in Saudi Arabia with a familiar tune, though its presence playing in the conservativeGulf nationhas raised some eyebrows. As is typical at the end of many of his U.S. campaign rallies, The Village People's "YMCA" began playing, backdropping a photo opportunity with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The president was in the kingdom on May 13 as part of his firstforeign tripin his second term, eschewing tradition and traveling to the Middle East instead of Mexico or Canada. It's his secondpresidential visitto the Middle East, following his 2017 visit which also included a stop inSaudi Arabia.This time he's also traveling to neighboring Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. 'Perfecto':Wealthy Gulf rulers bring A-game to Trump charm offensive The song is a well-known LGBTQ+ anthem in the U.S., making its appearance at an official event with top Saudi officials an eyebrow-raising contrast, as the kingdom has effectively outlawed homosexuality and alternative forms of gender expression. Saudi Arabia's judicial system is based on an interpretation ofSharia law, a broad set of laws and precepts that aim to guide or govern the daily lives of Muslim people. In Saudi Arabia, interpretation of sharia can result in penalties for homosexual acts, and Human Rights Watch says police in the country "routinely arrest people based on their gender expression." Clips of the pair shaking hands alongside the disco beat are making the rounds on social media. Laura Loomer, a far-right conspiracy theorist with ties to the Trump administration, mentioned the scene in a post on X: "YMCA in Saudi Arabia. What a timeline we live in." Kathryn Palmer is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her atkapalmer@usatoday.comand on X @KathrynPlmr. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Trump rally song YMCA plays in Saudi Arabia amid anti-LGBTQ laws
