The inauguration is the second gathering of U.S. presidents and their spouses that Michelle Obama has missed in recent weeks.
WASHINGTON — Former first lady Michelle Obama is skipping President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, the second high-profile gathering of U.S. presidents and their spouses she has missed this month.
Her husband, former President Barack Obama, will attend, alongside former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. Former first ladies Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush will also be at the inauguration.
“Former President Barack Obama is confirmed to attend the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies. Former first lady Michelle Obama will not attend the upcoming inauguration,” said a statement last week from the Office of Barack and Michelle Obama that was shared with The Associated Press.
No specific explanation was given for why Michelle Obama was skipping Trump’s inauguration.
Michelle Obama was also notably absent from the funeral of Jimmy Carter, which drew together a gathering of all the living U.S. presidents and their spouses aside from her.
Ahead of the funeral, CNN reported that the former first lady had a scheduling conflict and remained in Hawaii, where she had been on an “extended vacation.”
All three former presidents and their wives attended Trump’s first inauguration in 2017, including Hillary Clinton, after she lost the 2016 presidential election to Trump. Carter also attended.
But Trump and his wife Melania skipped the 2021 inauguration of President Joe Biden, which happened two weeks after a mob of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to prevent the certification of election results confirming Biden’s defeat of Trump in the 2020 election.
Trump was the first to skip his successor’s inauguration in more than 150 years.
Trump has refused to concede that he lost that election, instead repeatedly claiming throughout Biden’s term in office that it had been rigged against him.