Michelle Obama to skip Trump inauguration despite Barack going as she 'refuses to unify around new president'
16 January 2025, 08:51 | Updated: 16 January 2025, 09:21
Michelle Obama will not be going to Donald Trump's inauguration on Monday as she does not want to "unify" around the new president.
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The former first lady is hoping her absence from the Washington DC event "speaks volumes", according to insiders.
But her husband Barack, the former Democrat president who was succeeded by Mr Trump in 2016, will be at the inauguration.
He was spotted speaking cordially with Mr Trump at the funeral of their fellow former president Jimmy Carter last week - despite their political differences and past criticisms of each other.
On reviewing images of the ceremony, Mr Trump remarked afterwards: "It did look very friendly, I must say."
He added: "We have little different philosophies, right, but we probably do [get on]."
Ms Obama was not at the funeral as she was on holiday in Hawaii.
And she reportedly has no plans to work on her relationship with Mr Trump, unlike her husband.
"She's never been fake and she's never been phony. She's always been very deliberate about where and how she shows up," a source told Page 6.
"She showed up reluctantly for the election.
"[She and Barack] were united, but she doesn't have to unify around [Trump]. She doesn't have to say anything.
"Her absence speaks volumes."
Ms Obama was very critical of Mr Trump on the campaign trail for Kamala Harris, who was roundly defeated in the November election.
The former first lady even claimed that Mr Trump was showing signs of "obvious mental decline" - in an echo of comments frequently made about Joe Biden, who was replaced by Ms Harris as the Democrat candidate.
The couple's office confirmed on Wednesday that the former president would be attending, while Michelle will not.
A statement read: "Former President Barack Obama is confirmed to attend the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies.
"Former first lady Michelle Obama will not attend the upcoming inauguration."
A former first lady not attending the inauguration of a new president would previously have been seen as an unprecedented snub, no matter which parties they represented.
But as Mr Trump himself and his wife Melania did not go the inauguration of Joe Biden in 2020, amid unproven claims of election fraud, the precedent has already been set.
The Obamas both attended Mr Trump's 2016 inauguration after he was elected to the White House for the first time.
