DISCLAIMER: This article was first published in June 18, 2026
The dedication ceremony for the Obama Presidential Center on Wednesday brought together Joe Biden, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama in one room for the first time in years.
A photo of all four with their wives has been circulating since, and one detail in it has taken over every reply section it has landed in.
The image shows Barack and Michelle Obama flanked by Joe and Jill Biden, George W. and Laura Bush, and Bill and Hillary Clinton. Four former presidents, six former first couples and eight people smiling in what is, by any measure, a remarkable gathering.
Former Presidents and First Ladies attending the Obama Presidential Center opening:
—Barack and Michelle Obama
—Joe and Jill Biden
—Bill and Hillary Clinton
—George and Laura Bush pic.twitter.com/0kRjXqsc8N— FactPost (@factpostnews) June 18, 2026
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Every living president was in attendance except one. Trump was not invited, and the replies made sure everyone knew who was missing from the frame.
Was Trump not invited?
— LFR Family (@LFRFamily) June 18, 2026
lol why is Hilary dressed like it’s february i was there on tuesday it is gorgeous in Hyde Park
— PG-13 (@pgumshoe13) June 18, 2026
Wtf is Hillary wearing? It’s hot as fuck and humid as he’ll outside
— Rozanna 🇮🇹 🇺🇲 (@HobokenBNR) June 18, 2026
Looks like the Orange Monster & his escort wife were not invited. Good, they would have ruined the party.
— Phil Robertson (@Reaproy) June 18, 2026
I guess we’ll never know what that giant thing is that Hillary needs to wear around her waist.
— Ben (@BenJohnEvery) June 18, 2026
Reflecting basic dignity and faith in democracy that we sorely miss from the current White House.
— Suzanne Trimel 🗽 (@STrimel) June 18, 2026
Where’s the Don and Melania
— Patrick⚾️🚀🎾⚽️🏁 (@PDean2017) June 18, 2026
Where’s president Trump?
— Franklin Mutinda (@musyokifranklin) June 18, 2026
Trump’s feud with Obama long predates his time in the White House. He called the $850 million center “a total disaster” in February, posted an AI image of it as a garbage can surrounded by homeless encampments and spent considerable Truth Social real estate mocking the project throughout its construction.
He has also accused Obama of “treason” and promoted false claims questioning the authenticity of the birth certificate of the nation’s first Black president.
The Obama Foundation confirmed in March that Trump had not been invited. Valerie Jarrett said Trump is welcome to visit the museum and they’d love to give him a tour, but he simply was not invited to the dedication. The ceremony proceeded without him on what was also his fourth day back from the G7 summit in France.
The ceremony itself was everything the decade of construction controversy had promised. The 19-acre museum campus on Chicago’s South Side features a replica of the Oval Office, a public library, a playground, an athletic center and a vegetable garden.
The performers matched the occasion. Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, the Roots, Common, Eddie Vedder and Bono all performed. The Clintons, Bushes and Bidens had no formal speaking roles. Only Barack and Michelle Obama gave remarks.
Featured image via X screengrab
