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By Evans Momodu
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Former First Lady Michelle Obama will not attend Donald Trump’s inauguration next week, breaking with tradition where former presidents and their spouses typically participate in the ceremony. Her office confirmed the decision on Tuesday but did not provide a reason.
A statement from the Office of Barack and Michelle Obama read:
“Former President Barack Obama is confirmed to attend the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies. Former First Lady Michelle Obama will not attend the upcoming inauguration.”
Former President Barack Obama will attend, alongside other former presidents and first ladies, including George W. Bush and Laura Bush, as well as Bill and Hillary Clinton, according to sources.
Michelle Obama’s decision marks a notable divergence from her previous participation in Donald Trump’s first inauguration in 2017. At the time, despite personal reservations, she welcomed the incoming president and first lady, Melania Trump, to the White House for tea and attended the ceremony.
In the years since, Michelle Obama has spoken candidly about her feelings during that event, describing the emotional toll it took. On a podcast in 2023, she recalled:
“There were tears, there was that emotion. But then to sit on that stage and watch the opposite of what we represented on display – there was no diversity, there was no colour on that stage, there was no reflection of the broader sense of America.”
Michelle Obama also opted not to attend a memorial service last week for former President Jimmy Carter, remaining in Hawaii. Barack Obama represented the family at the National Cathedral in Washington, where he was seen conversing with Donald Trump.
This decision underscores Michelle Obama’s long-standing criticism of Trump, whom she has accused of endangering her family’s safety with his rhetoric. While other former first ladies, including Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush, attended the Carter memorial, Michelle Obama’s absence further highlights her deliberate distancing from Trump-associated events.
Source: CNN
