Michelle Obama Declines Attendance at Trump’s Inauguration

Former First Lady Michelle Obama will not be present for President-Elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20.

However, former President Barack Obama is confirmed to attend the swearing-in ceremony.

"Former President Barack Obama is confirmed to attend the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies. Former First Lady Michelle Obama will not attend the upcoming inauguration," stated a brief announcement from the Office of Barack and Michelle Obama.

According to CBS News, "A spokesperson for former President George W. Bush confirmed he and former First Lady Laura Bush are planning to be at the Capitol for the festivities. Michelle Obama also did not attend funeral services for Jimmy Carter last week, where all the living former presidents congregated. The other living first ladies were also in attendance."

Since 2008, Michelle Obama has attended every presidential inauguration, including Trump’s first in 2017, as she and her husband departed the White House. Reflecting on her experience at Trump’s initial swearing-in, she shared in 2023:

"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," Obama stated. "There was no reflection of the broader sense of America. Many people took pictures of me and they’re like, you weren’t in a good mood. No, I was not."

On her podcast, "The Light Podcast," she revealed that she cried for 30 minutes following the ceremony "because that’s how much we were holding it together for eight years without really being able to show it all."

These comments emerged after a moment between Trump and Barack Obama recently went viral, as the two engaged in a surprisingly friendly exchange at the U.S. Capitol.

The country recently honored former President Jimmy Carter, who passed away at 100, with a state funeral at the National Cathedral. All living presidents attended to pay their respects.

At the ceremony, when Vice President Kamala Harris took her seat in front of Obama and Trump, their conversation momentarily paused, only to resume moments later. Trump leaned in towards Obama, who responded with laughter. Meanwhile, Melania Trump and Laura Bush sat beside them, looking straight ahead. The Clintons engaged in conversation, and George W. Bush was spotted waving to attendees.

Harris also made headlines earlier this week when she officially certified the 2024 election results, confirming Trump’s victory and, consequently, her decisive loss in the presidential race.

Despite the defeat, Harris has no intention to "go quietly into the night." Reports from CNN indicate that she has privately discussed her political future with supporters, hinting at potential bids for California governor in 2026 or another presidential run in 2028. Harris has reportedly voiced her reluctance for her "final act" in office to be the certification of Trump’s victory.

CNN’s Manu Raju noted, "We haven’t seen or heard much from Vice President Kamala Harris since she lost the election last month. But the Democratic Party [is] still reeling from Trump’s victory."

Reporter Isaac Dovere added that Harris is weighing her options:

"What she’s been saying to people over the last couple of weeks, donors, other supporters that she’s been talking with, 'As you haven’t seen the last of me, I’m not going quietly into the night.' Advisers, people close to her are debating about what that means. They do not want her final official act ever to be essentially certifying Donald Trump’s win over her, especially four years after January 6th. And so they look at this governor’s race in California in 2026, and it seems to them like a layup essentially, that she would probably clear the field or mostly clear the field and she would get to be governor of California."

Dovere further elaborated on the potential political challenge Harris faces:

"But if she does that, that means that she couldn’t turn around and run for president again in 2028. She’d need to essentially declare right away. And that is what it really comes down to because there are people close to her who say she didn’t get a fair shot this year," Dovere added.

He continued, "It wasn’t up to what she could have done. And look how well she performed anyway. She should get to go again in 2028. And then there are ones who say, look, with where things are with the Democratic Party at it, she would not have a clear field or a cleared field, rather, in the Democratic primary and could lose the nomination. And to come off of 2024 into that would be really terrible."

Reportedly, Harris has conveyed to her close circle that she intends to remain "in the fight" and is seriously contemplating either a 2028 presidential bid or a run for governor of California in 2026. Democratic strategist Theryn Bond, however, has advised against her seeking the presidency again.