Former first lady Michelle Obama will not attend Donald Trump’s inauguration next week, her office said Tuesday, without providing an explanation for her decision.
via: Vibe
In a statement released to the AP, the Obamas clarify that while the former First Lady won’t be present, her husband, 44th US President Barack Obama, will be there to represent the family.
“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.
Former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton will also be in attendance, with their wives, Laura Bush and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, joining them for the swearing-in ceremony.
This will be the second presidential event Mrs. Obama has skipped as of late, as the author was also unable to attend the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter at the Washington National Cathedral. The day of mourning found husband Barack and Donald Trump sharing an occasional laugh, which caught the attention of both the left and the right. Trump later addressed the friendly exchange, telling NBC News, “I didn’t realize how friendly we appeared. I said, ‘Boy, they look like two people that like each other.’ And we probably do. We have a little different philosophies, right? But we probably do. I don’t know. We just got along. But I got along with just about everybody.”
Michelle Obama has previously campaigned against Trump on behalf of Democratic candidates, in addition to calling him out for his “birther” campaign against her husband, which questioned Barack’s citizenship. She did, however, attend Trump’s 2017 inauguration ahead of his first term in office.
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