We see how he values the meaning of a salute. Since I did not serve myself, I don’t know how I would handle returning the salute since I don’t feel I would be deserving of the one offered by the Marine in the first place.
If you were President you'd be serving as CIC and therefore deserve the salute by definition.
How the President handles that respect doesn't reflect the office - it reflects the integrity of the person serving in that office.