Michelle Obama is skipping Donald Trump’s inauguration because she refuses to ‘be fake’ about her loyalties – in stark contrast to her husband’s recent efforts to ‘unify,’ DailyMail reports.
The former First Lady Michelle Obama was noticeably absent from Jimmy Carter’s funeral, where Barack was seen laughing and cozying up to the incoming President.
Trump and Obama shared a warm interaction ahead of the service, having a whispered conversation with one another in a moment which set the internet alight.
‘It did look very friendly, I must say,’ Trump later said.
But according to a source who spoke to Page Six, Michelle Obama has no such plans to smooth over her relationship with Trump – putting her at odds with her husband’s friendly efforts.
‘She’s never been fake and she’s never been phony. She’s always been very deliberate about where and how she shows up,’ the source said.
‘She showed up reluctantly for the election. They were united, but she doesn’t have to unify around [Trump]. She doesn’t have to say anything.
‘Her absence speaks volumes.’
On Wednesday, the office of Barack and Michelle Obama confirmed that Michelle would not be at the inauguration in a statement to the Associated Press.
‘Former President Barack Obama is confirmed to attend the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies. Former first lady Michelle Obama will not attend the upcoming inauguration,’ the statement read.
Historically, this would be seen as a monumental snub given all former presidents and first ladies have attended inauguration – even for the president of the opposite party – unless they were suffering from health issues.
But Trump himself blew up that modern precedent four years ago when he refused to attend the swearing-in ceremony of his successor, President Joe Biden.
First lady Melania Trump also skipped Biden’s inauguration.
When she missed Carter’s funeral, it was immediately cleared up that she had a ‘scheduling conflict’ which prevented her from attending. She was enjoying an extended holiday in Hawaii at the time.
But on this occasion, her office has made no such effort to explain away her absense.
At the funeral, Trump sat side by side with Obama, and later revealed they get along despite their differences and their past attacks on one another.
‘I didn’t realize how friendly it looked,’ Trump said.
‘I said, “Boy they look like two people who like each other” and we probably do. We have little different philosophies, right, but we probably do.’
The president-elect added, ‘I don´t know. We just got along. But I got along with just about everybody.’
It comes amid wild conspiracy theories that the Obamas are heading for a split.
The two huge non-appearances have some fans of the political power couple concerned there’s trouble in paradise, with many taking to X to share their thoughts.
‘I’m calling it, the Obamas are getting a divorce,’ wrote one person.
Another posted: ‘An Obama divorce would not be on my 2025 predictions but it might happen.’
The couple, who first met in 1989 when they both worked at a law firm in Chicago, married in 1992.
They welcomed their first daughter, Malia, six years later in 1998, and their second daughter, Sasha, in 2001.
But others noticed the former first lade has simply been less publicly engaged as she grieves the death of her mother, Marian Robinson, in May.
When she spoke at the Democratic National Convention in August, she remarked that her grief almost kept her from coming onstage.
‘I still feel her loss so profoundly – I wan’t even sure I’d be steady enough to stand before you tonight,’ she told the massive crowd at Chicago’s United Center.
Still she headlined several campaign events for Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, ahead of Election Day.