Former First Lady Michelle Obama will not attend President-elect Donald J. Trump’s inauguration on January 20, although her husband, former President Barack Obama, will. The Office of Barack and Michelle Obama released a statement on Tuesday, January 14, noting that Michelle Obama would be absent from the inauguration ceremony but did not provide any details as to why.
Michelle Obama was also missing from the state funeral held for former President Jimmy Carter last week. At the funeral, Barack Obama was seated next to President-elect Trump and his wife Melania.
After President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race last year following a catastrophic debate, some briefly considered Michelle Obama to replace him. However, both Obamas later endorsed Kamala Harris as the Democrat nominee, despite sources claiming that both held a very low opinion of the Vice President, regarding her as incompetent.
President-elect Trump’s inauguration will be attended by all living U.S. presidents, including Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden. Several world leaders are also expected to attend the event, including Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Argentina’s President Javier Milei, Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, and others.
China’s President Xi Jinping was reportedly invited to the inauguration but declined. Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was also reportedly invited, but Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has seized his passport and may refuse to allow him to attend.