Former First Lady Michelle Obama will not be attending President-elect Donald Trump’s upcoming inauguration, following her recent absence from the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter. Her decision not to attend both events has drawn significant attention, particularly given that she would have been seated next to Trump.

“Former President Barack Obama is confirmed to attend the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies. Former first lady Michelle Obama will not attend the upcoming inauguration,” the Office of Barack and Michelle Obama stated in a release to the Associated Press.

No official explanation has been provided for Michelle Obama’s decision to skip the inauguration. However, the former first lady, now 60, has been an outspoken critic of Trump, 78, throughout the past eight years, making her absence notable.

On January 9, Michelle Obama also chose not to attend Carter’s funeral at Washington National Cathedral. CNN reported that she remained “in Hawaii on an extended holiday vacation” instead of joining other dignitaries at the event.

Her advisors cited a scheduling conflict as the reason for her absence from the funeral, though they offered no further clarification.

At the funeral, Barack Obama sat next to Trump, and cameras captured moments of the two men engaging in lighthearted conversation, a scene that quickly made headlines around the globe.

All other former presidents and their spouses are expected to attend the January 20 inauguration, including George W. and Laura Bush, Bill and Hillary Clinton, and current President Joe Biden with First Lady Jill Biden.

Notably, both Michelle and Barack Obama attended Trump’s first inauguration in January 2017, a stark contrast to Michelle’s decision this time around.

During the 2024 campaign, Michelle Obama’s disapproval of Trump was evident as she actively supported Vice President Kamala Harris alongside her husband.

Despite her famous call for civility—“When they go low, we go high”—Michelle Obama did not hold back in criticizing Trump. She spoke out against his wealth, his treatment of women, and his approach to minorities, while also urging men to support Harris in her bid for the presidency.

“I am asking y’all, from the core of my being, to take our lives seriously,” she passionately implored during a rally for Harris in the fall.

Donald and Melania Trump, for their part, skipped Joe Biden’s inauguration in January 2021, maintaining their stance that the 2020 election had been unjustly taken from Trump.

{Matzav.com}