Michelle Obama, former First Lady of the United States, has decided not to attend the upcoming inauguration of Donald Trump. This decision comes despite her husband, former President Barack Obama, appearing to maintain a cordial relationship with the President-elect. The Obamas were recently seen together at the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter, but Michelle Obama was noticeably absent, reportedly due to an extended vacation in Hawaii.
The Office of Barack and Michelle Obama confirmed the former First Lady’s decision in a statement released to the Associated Press on Tuesday. The statement did not provide a reason for her absence, simply stating that she “will not attend the upcoming inauguration.”
A source close to the Obamas revealed to Page Six that Michelle Obama’s decision was intentional. The source described the former First Lady as someone who has always been genuine and deliberate in her actions. Her absence from the inauguration, according to the source, is a silent but powerful statement.
Michelle Obama has previously expressed her feelings about a Trump presidency. During her speech at the Democratic National Convention in August, she criticized Trump for his attempts to instill fear in people and his narrow worldview. She also addressed the “birther movement,” a conspiracy theory Trump propagated suggesting that Barack Obama was not born in the United States.
Despite her criticisms, Michelle Obama attended Trump’s 2017 inauguration. However, her disapproval of Trump became more evident during the last election while she was campaigning for Vice President Kamala Harris. She questioned the normalization of Trump’s leadership style and criticized the privilege of generational wealth.
Interestingly, Donald and Melania Trump were absent from President Biden’s 2021 inauguration, which took place two weeks after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. The former First Lady has been largely absent from the political scene since Trump’s victory over Harris.
While Michelle Obama will not be attending Trump’s inauguration, Barack Obama is confirmed to be in attendance. Other notable attendees are expected to include George W. and Laura Bush, Bill and Hillary Clinton, and Joe and Jill Biden. A representative for the Obamas did not respond to requests for comment.