Michelle Obama is No Show at Carter Funeral

Michelle Obama, the former First Lady, chose to extend her vacation in Hawaii rather than attend the state funeral of former President Jimmy Carter on January 9, 2025. This decision sparked widespread conjecture, especially because former President Donald Trump was present at the historic event.

Mrs. Obama was the only living former first lady not to attend the somber ceremony at Washington National Cathedral, where her husband, Barack Obama, was seated next to Trump, his longtime political adversary.

Mrs. Obama’s decision to prolong her holiday in Hawaii and her cited “scheduling conflicts” became a point of discussion on social media platforms. This comes five years after an uncomfortable handshake with Trump at former President George H.W. Bush’s funeral in 2018, an event she referenced in her memoir as a tense encounter, criticizing Trump for promoting conspiracy theories about her husband.

A representative for Mrs. Obama evaded the question of her absence, stating, “Mrs. Obama sends her thoughts and prayers to the Carter family, and everyone who loved and learned from the remarkable former President.” No formal justification for her decision not to attend the funeral was given.

During CNN’s funeral coverage, Jeff Zeleny reported, “I’m told by her advisors that she has scheduling conflicts. She’s actually still in Hawaii for an extended holiday vacation.” This explanation was given despite the fact that all other living former first ladies, including Laura Bush, Hillary Clinton, and Melania Trump, were present in Washington, DC for the historic event.

Neither Zeleny nor Mrs. Obama’s office provided further details about these scheduling conflicts or why they couldn’t be rearranged to accommodate the event of such historical importance. Mrs. Obama’s office declined to provide additional comment on this matter when requested.

The friction between Mrs. Obama and Trump is well-documented. In her bestselling memoir “Becoming,” she expressed her strong feelings about Trump’s promotion of the “birther” conspiracy theory, asserting, “Donald Trump, with his loud and reckless innuendos, was putting my family’s safety at risk. And for this, I’d never forgive him.”

Despite this animosity, Barack Obama attended the funeral alone and was observed conversing cordially with Trump, a moment that attracted significant attention. Photos showed Obama smiling and laughing as Trump spoke to him.

The state funeral drew together an impressive line-up of American leadership, including First Lady Jill Biden, President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and all living former presidents. Such gatherings are extraordinarily rare, usually taking place only for presidential state funerals, which act as moments of national unity that transcend political divisions.

Mrs. Obama’s absence was particularly noticeable given her prior attendance at the funeral of former First Lady Rosalynn Carter in November 2023. At that time, she had traveled to pay her respects while Barack Obama did not attend, making her absence from Jimmy Carter’s funeral more noticeable.

Reactions to Mrs. Obama’s absence were mixed on social media. One user commented, “Incredibly disrespectful, and this would be 24-hour news if Melania did this,” while another supported her choice, saying, “Good for her!!!! Black women have clocked OUT, and I’m here for it!!!!”

Seating arrangements at Carter’s funeral, a point of interest at such events, added another layer of intrigue. During George H.W. Bush’s funeral in 2018, the Obamas were seated between the Trumps and the Clintons, creating a moment of forced proximity between political rivals that was widely discussed.

The front rows of the ceremony highlighted the breadth of American leadership, with current and former presidents and their spouses seated according to a carefully planned arrangement. The seating plan placed President Biden and Vice President Harris at the front, followed by former presidents and foreign dignitaries, making Mrs. Obama’s vacant seat beside her husband especially noticeable.

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