Washington DC [US], January 15 : Former US first lady Michelle Obama will not attend US President-elect Donald Trump's swearing-in ceremony on January 20, her office announced on Tuesday, without sharing explanation for her decision, CNN reported.
A statement from the Office of Barack and Michelle Obama said, "Former President Barack Obama is confirmed to attend the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies. Former First Lady Michelle Obama will not attend the upcoming inauguration."
The decision to not attend Trump's swearing-in is a break with tradition for the ceremony, which former presidents and first ladies usually attend. Former US President George Bush and his wife, Laura Bush, will attend the inauguration, his office announced.
According to sources familiar, former US President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton will attend the swearing-in ceremony, CNN reported. Michelle Obama did not attend the memorial service for former US President Jimmy Carter last week.
Former US President Barack Obama attended the service at the National Cathedral in Washington. He was seated next to Donald Trump and was involved in animated conversation with him as the program was getting underway. Other former US first ladies, including Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush attended the memorial service for Carter.
Michelle Obama has openly expressed her animosity towards Trump, whom she has accused of putting her family's safety in danger due to his rhetoric. Keeping aside her personal feelings, Michelle Obama in 2017 had welcomed incoming US President Donald Trump and his wife, Melania Trump, to the White House for tea ahead of his swearing-in.
In the years afterward, Michelle Obama talked about sitting on stage while Trump took oath, CNN reported. While speaking in a podcast in 2023, she said, "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 color on that stage, there was no reflection of the broader sense of America."
Donald Trump and his wife, Melania Trump, did not attend US President Joe Biden's swearing-in ceremony in 2021 amid the US President-elect's claims that he had secured victory in the 2020 election.
On January 20, Trump and US President-elect, JD Vance, will attend the swearing-in ceremony, followed by a luncheon, parade and three inaugural balls, The Hill reported. Former presidents, celebrities and performers will attend the various events.
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