Michelle Obama, the former first lady, has announced that she will not attend President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20. This marks the second time in recent weeks that she has been absent from significant gatherings of former U.S. presidents and their spouses. Former President Barack Obama, however, will attend the event alongside other former presidents and their wives.
The Office of Barack and Michelle Obama confirmed Michelle’s absence in a brief statement shared with the Associated Press: “Former President Barack Obama is confirmed to attend the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies. Former First Lady Michelle Obama will not attend the upcoming inauguration.” No explanation was provided for her decision.
Last week, Michelle also skipped the state funeral of former President Jimmy Carter, which was attended by former presidents Trump, Obama, Bush, and Clinton, as well as their spouses. Michelle was the only former first lady who did not attend the event, where her husband and Donald Trump were seated next to each other, laughing and chatting despite their history of political tension.
Several notable figures have confirmed their attendance at Trump’s second inauguration. Former Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush will be present, along with their wives, Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton. A representative for Bill Clinton confirmed his attendance, and a spokesperson for Hillary Clinton also confirmed that she would be there. This is actually not the first time Hillary Clinton will attend Trump’s inauguration. In 2017, she attended his first swearing-in ceremony, despite having lost the 2016 presidential election to him. The Office of George W. Bush has also confirmed that both the former president and Laura Bush will be attending.
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While Michelle Obama’s absence at the inauguration has drawn attention, it is not entirely unprecedented. CNN’s Jeff Zeleny reported that during Carter’s funeral, Michelle was “still in Hawaii on an extended holiday vacation.” Her advisers cited a scheduling conflict as the reason for her absence.
It remains unclear whether her absence from Trump’s inauguration is related to personal reasons or political differences. However, her decision to skip such high-profile events has raised questions, especially as these occasions typically symbolize unity and the peaceful transfer of power.
Trump’s upcoming inauguration follows a unique political history. When he was sworn in for the first time in 2017, all living former presidents and their spouses, including the Carters, attended the ceremony. At that time, outgoing Vice President Joe Biden, Dr. Jill Biden, Hillary Clinton, and Bill Clinton were present as well.
Notably, Trump himself declined to attend the January 2021 inauguration of President Joe Biden after losing the 2020 election. This made him the first outgoing president in more than 150 years to skip the swearing-in ceremony. The last time this happened was in 1869 when Andrew Johnson refused to attend Ulysses S. Grant’s inauguration. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on January 8, 2021, Trump wrote, “To all of those who have asked, I will not be going to the Inauguration on January 20th.”
Ahead of his second inauguration, Trump plans to host a “victory rally” on January 19 at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. The venue, which has a capacity of 20,000, will host what Trump described as “a victory rally you’ll never forget.” This announcement was made via his inauguration site, and the rally is expected to draw significant attention. The rally will be Trump’s first event in Washington, D.C., since the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.
Featured image via Political Tribune Gallery
