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It turns out there’s a pretty simple reason Michelle Obama doesn’t plan to attend Donald Trump’s inauguration. She doesn’t have to, and she doesn’t want to.
On January 14, it was reported that Michelle Obama would not be joining her husband, President Barack Obama, at the inauguration ceremony on January 20. “Former President Barack Obama is confirmed to attend the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies. Former first lady Michelle Obama will not attend the upcoming inauguration,” the couple’s joint statement read simply. This also comes after Michelle was notably absent from President Jimmy Carter’s funeral on January 9.
The fact that Michelle Obama is now skipping major political events immediately raised speculation but, according to a source speaking to People, her reasons are pretty straightforward. She doesn’t like Trump and she’s not going to fake it anymore.
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“There’s no overstating her feelings about [Trump]. She’s not one to plaster on a pleasant face and pretend for protocol’s sake,” the insider said. “Michelle doesn’t do anything because it’s expected or it’s protocol or it’s tradition.” The source also noted, “She served in the public eye and did all the public good that she could for eight years as first lady. You’ll see her when she has a project or cause to promote but she doesn’t feel the need to be a public figure anymore.”
It hardly needs restating that Trump and Michelle Obama have a contentious history. As recently as October 2024, Trump responded to the former first lady’s criticisms of him by calling her “nasty” and “a hater,” per the New York Times. Michelle has called Trump, “the wrong president for our country,” at the 2020 Democratic National Convention and, “infantile and unpatriotic” after the January 6 riots.
But from now on, when it comes to Donald Trump, Michelle Obama would like to be excluded from this narrative.
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