Karen Pence, wife of former Vice President Mike Pence, drew criticism Thursday when she declined to shake hands with Melania Trump at the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter. The incident occurred as the Trumps arrived at the Washington National Cathedral, their first major public appearance since Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election. Instead of offering a handshake, Pence turned away without acknowledgment.
Melania Trump appeared to respond with poise, offering a polite smile despite the apparent snub. The former vice president stood, as did former Vice President Al Gore, and shook the president-elect’s hand, which he offered. The strained relationship between Trump and his former vice president has been a prominent political narrative since the 2020 election. What was once seen as a strong and collaborative partnership began to deteriorate over disagreements about the election’s aftermath and the events surrounding January 6, 2021.
Social media users wasted no time weighing in on the snub, with one tweeting, “People with no class, make classless moves,” while another wrote, “I would expect nothing less from a Pence.” The public sentiment was largely critical, depicting the former Second Lady as spiteful and resentful following Trump’s return to power, despite the fallout between their two husbands.
“Karen Pence wants nothing to do with Donald or Melania Trump,” said one observer. “There was no need for this whatsoever.” Others suggested Pence’s actions reflected deeper tensions between her family and the Trumps, stemming from the fallout of January 6 and the 2021 Capitol breach.
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Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, appeared extremely uncomfortable while attending the as well. The couple sat in proximity to the president-elect and Melania. But it wasn’t necessarily the fact that they were sharing the same space that led to a moment of extreme awkwardness and discomfort for her. Video of the scene caught Harris flashing a look behind her at Trump as former President Barack Obama chatted with him, which appeared to cause the VP some severe angst.
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Kamala visibly furios after seeing Obama talking with Trump. ? pic.twitter.com/Lq0rhKzomx
— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) January 9, 2025
It’s not clear what the two men were discussing, but what is known is that the history between Obama and Harris is quite rocky, to say the least, according to reports. Earlier this year, after President Joe Biden succumbed to pressure to end his reelection bid following his horrific debate performance against Trump and immediately endorsed his vice president, Obama waited to publicly endorse Harris’ presidential campaign, citing his belief that she is unlikely to defeat Donald Trump, according to a source familiar with the Biden family.
In the wake of Biden’s abrupt withdrawal the majority of Democratic leaders have swiftly rallied behind her candidacy. However, Obama stood out as a notable exception. “Obama’s very upset because he knows she can’t win,” the Biden family source told the New York Post. “Obama knows she’s just incompetent — the border czar who never visited the border, saying that all migrants should have health insurance. She cannot navigate the landmines that are ahead of her. When you are running for president, there are things you can and can’t say.”