4:08 : The President conferring with unknown person aboard M1.
4:16 : The President departs M1.
4:20 : The President returns Marine Guard salte, crosses lawn, ascends to balcony.
5:24 : The President faces M1 and removes his mask.
5:58 : The President buttons coat prompted by unknown person below to his right.
6:15 : The President stands to attention.
6:20 : The President initiates first salute.
6:43 : The President concludes first salute.
6:56 : The President steps back due to helicopter blade wash.
7:10 : The President steps forward to original position, stands at attention.
7:12 : The President initiates second salute.
7:14 : The President concludes second salute.
7:15 : The President waves to unknown person(s) below and enters the WH.
Senior officer is what I immediately assumed. And WHO could that be? Trump went to military school - he wouldn’t just do it because he thought it might be cool. And he knows how to salute properly - which I loved :)
Sequence of event:
4:08 : The President conferring with unknown person aboard M1.
4:16 : The President departs M1.
4:20 : The President returns Marine Guard salte, crosses lawn, ascends to balcony.
5:24 : The President faces M1 and removes his mask.
5:58 : The President buttons coat prompted by unknown person below to his right.
6:15 : The President stands to attention.
6:20 : The President initiates first salute.
6:43 : The President concludes first salute.
6:56 : The President steps back due to helicopter blade wash.
7:10 : The President steps forward to original position, stands at attention.
7:12 : The President initiates second salute.
7:14 : The President concludes second salute.
7:15 : The President waves to unknown person(s) below and enters the WH.
https://youtu.be/M_6AOS0fot8?t=247 (timestamp 4:07 / 3 min, 25 sec)
What occurs does not appear to follow any documented instruction on rendering a hand salute.
U.S. Navy Regulations Chapter 12
https://www.secnav.navy.mil/doni/US%20Navy%20Regulations/Chapter%2012%20-%20Flags,%20Pennants,%20Honors,%20Ceremonies%20and%20Customs.pdf
Army Regulation 600-25
https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/ARN20654_R600_25_Admin_FINAL.pdf
Who or what was the The President of the United States saluting?
If you assume that President Trump was following protocol, the logical conclusion is he was saluting the departure of a senior officer...
Or... they were filming a movie.
Occam's razor anyone?
Don't cut yourself.
Senior officer is what I immediately assumed. And WHO could that be? Trump went to military school - he wouldn’t just do it because he thought it might be cool. And he knows how to salute properly - which I loved :)