USA Michelle Obama will not attend Trump's inauguration
Michelle Obama will not be attending the inauguration ceremony of US President-elect Donald Trump in the capital Washington. This was reported by US media citing a statement from the office of the former First Lady. No reasons were given for her decision.
14.01.2025, 19:53
14.01.2025, 19:54
SDA
Last week, Michelle Obama had already decided not to attend the state funeral service for former President Jimmy Carter and stayed in Hawaii instead - the Obamas own a property there. Her husband, former President Barack Obama, however, was present, sat right next to Trump at the ceremony and chatted with him.
Personal criticism of Trump
Michelle Obama has been critical of the Republican in the past, accusing him of endangering her family's safety with his rhetoric. Her decision to stay away from Trump's inauguration breaks with the tradition that former presidents and their spouses usually attend the ceremony, regardless of their party affiliation. According to reports from CNN, former President George W. Bush and his wife Laura as well as Bill and Hillary Clinton will attend the event.
However, Trump himself did not adhere to custom at Joe Biden's inauguration in 2021: Neither he nor his wife Melania attended the ceremony. Just a few weeks earlier, his supporters had violently stormed the Capitol to prevent the official confirmation of Biden's election victory - Trump had fueled them with unsubstantiated allegations of electoral fraud.
