Michelle Obama, the former First Lady of the United States, has decided not to attend Donald Trump’s upcoming inauguration, choosing to stay away because she refuses to “pretend” to be happy for someone she sees as a threat to American democracy. This decision was confirmed earlier this week, although her office has kept any further comments brief.
Since the announcement, there has been a lot of speculation surrounding her absence. However, a source close to Obama recently revealed the reason for her decision to People Magazine. The source stated that Michelle Obama “doesn’t do anything because it’s expected or because of tradition.” According to the source, Michelle Obama felt that attending Trump’s inauguration would force her to fake her emotions in public, which she was not willing to do.
“There’s no overstating her feelings about [Trump],” the source explained. “She’s not one to plaster on a pleasant face and pretend for protocol’s sake.” Michelle Obama’s decision to skip the event is not one based on tradition or protocol but on her deeply held personal beliefs and feelings about the incoming president.
Trump’s comments about the Obama family have contributed to Michelle’s negative view of him. In particular, his regular insults and offensive remarks, including referring to Barack Obama as “Barack Hussein Obama,” have left a lasting impact on her. Additionally, Trump’s comments about people of color have made her even more opposed to him.
It is reported that if Michelle Obama were to attend Trump’s second inauguration, she would feel forced to suppress her feelings in front of the camera, something she was not willing to do.
A Step Back from the Spotlight
After serving as First Lady from 2008 to 2016, Michelle Obama has made it clear that she does not feel the need to maintain a public presence anymore. A source close to her said, “Michelle doesn’t feel the need to be a public figure anymore.” She has often spoken about how she prefers to focus on her family and personal life rather than being in the public eye.
Despite Michelle Obama’s absence, former presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, as well as her husband, Barack Obama, will attend the inauguration to show respect for the office of the presidency.
Trump’s Refusal to Attend Joe Biden’s Inauguration
Donald Trump, who skipped President Joe Biden’s inauguration in 2021, made history as the first president in over 150 years to refuse to attend his successor’s swearing-in ceremony. His absence raised eyebrows, especially since attending the inauguration of a new president is a long-standing tradition in U.S. politics.
In contrast, Michelle Obama did attend Trump’s first inauguration in 2017. However, she later admitted how difficult it was for her to sit there and watch someone who represented the opposite of her values take the oath of office.
On her podcast, The Light Podcast, she shared her experience, saying, “To sit on that stage and watch the opposite of what we represented on display, there was no diversity, there was no color on that stage.”
She added that the event was “hard” for her to watch and that she was not in a good mood, despite people capturing pictures of her looking serious. “I was not in a good mood,” Michelle Obama admitted.
Reflecting on that day, she shared how emotionally difficult it was for her to hold back her feelings. “I cried for half an hour after the ceremony because that’s how much we were holding it together for eight years without really being able to show it all,” she said.
Michelle Obama Misses Jimmy Carter’s Funeral
In addition to skipping Trump’s inauguration, Michelle Obama also missed the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter earlier this year due to a “scheduling conflict.” However, her husband, Barack Obama, was seen attending the funeral, and Donald Trump was present as well. At the service, Trump was seen laughing and chatting with Barack Obama, which sparked comments from the media.
When asked about the interaction, Trump joked, “It did look very friendly, I must say. I didn’t realize how friendly it looked.” He even commented, “Boy, they look like two people who like each other.” Trump later added, “We probably do [like each other].” This exchange made headlines as the media noted the seemingly friendly atmosphere between the two former presidents.
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