Former First Lady Michelle Obama will not attend President-elect Trump’s inauguration on Monday, marking her second absence in two weeks from a gathering of former presidents and their spouses. She was also absent at former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral last week. Former President Barack Obama is scheduled to attend the inauguration on January 20, along with former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush and their spouses.
“Former President Barack Obama is confirmed to attend the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies. Former first lady Michelle Obama will not attend the upcoming inauguration,” reads a statement from the Office of Barack and Michelle Obama that was shared with The Associated Press. Fox News added: “It is unclear why former first lady Michelle Obama is skipping Trump’s inauguration.”
Former Presidents Trump, Bush, and Clinton, along with their spouses, attended Jimmy Carter’s funeral on January 9 at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., as did former President Barack Obama. Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, along with former Vice President Mike Pence and his wife, were also present.
Former President Bill Clinton is confirmed to attend next week’s swearing-in ceremony, as is former First Lady Hillary Clinton, according to a spokesperson. The Office of George W. Bush confirmed that he and former First Lady Laura Bush will also be attending.
At Carter’s funeral, Trump and Obama appeared to set aside their political differences, sharing a conversation and laughing together despite their past political tensions. All three former presidents and their wives attended Trump’s first inauguration in 2017, including Hillary Clinton, who attended despite losing the 2016 presidential election to Trump. Carter was also present. Trump and Melania, however, did not attend Biden’s inauguration.
The news of Michelle Obama’s decision to skip the inauguration comes one day after former First Lady Melania Trump revealed that she and her husband did not receive sufficient information from the Obama administration regarding the transition to the White House in January 2017, at the start of the Trump administration. “The difference is, I know where I will be going. I know the rooms where we will be living. I know the processes,” the former first lady told “Fox & Friends” co-host Ainsley Earhardt on Monday.
“The first time was challenging. We didn’t have much of the information, the information was upheld from us from the previous administration. But this time I have everything. I have the plans. I could move in. I already packed. I already selected the furniture that needs to go in. So it’s very different a transition this time, second time around.”
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