Former First Lady Michelle Obama will not be attending Donald Trump’s upcoming inauguration, her office confirmed on Tuesday.
In a statement, her office said, “Former President Barack Obama is confirmed to attend the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies. Former First Lady Michelle Obama will not attend the upcoming inauguration.” No explanation was provided for her decision.
Last week, Michelle Obama also missed the funeral service for former President Jimmy Carter. The service was attended by several prominent figures, including Barack Obama, George W. and Laura Bush, Bill and Hillary Clinton, President Joe Biden, First Lady Jill Biden, as well as President-elect Trump and Melania Trump.
Since her husband’s inauguration in 2009, Michelle Obama has attended every presidential inauguration, including Donald Trump’s in 2017. However, she later revealed in her 2023 The Light Podcast that the experience was far from pleasant.
“There was no diversity, there was no color on that stage. There was no reflection of the broader sense of America,” she said. “Many people took pictures of me and said I didn’t look happy. No, I was not.”
