Former President Barack Obama and President-elect Donald Trump were seen sharing smiles and laughter Thursday at the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter, but a professional lipreader has uncovered what might have been a much more serious conversation unfolding behind those grins.
As the two giants of American politics sat side by side in the pews, the presence of cameras and the somber atmosphere seemed to mask what could have been a highly secretive and intense exchange. The two men, despite their frosty relationship over the years, were caught in an animated conversation that went far beyond pleasantries.
According to forensic lipreader Jeremy Freeman, Trump, 78, subtly warned Obama, 63, that they would need to “find a quiet place” later to discuss something of “importance.”
But what could this important matter be?
Freeman, who has served as a University College London-certified expert witness for over 16 years, as reported by the New York Post, translated Trump’s words as he leaned toward Obama, revealing, “I’ve pulled out of that. It’s the conditions. Can you imagine that?” Obama, chuckling, responded with a knowing laugh as Trump continued, “and after, I will,” before the TV cameras cut away.
But what were they talking about?
According to Freeman’s lipreading, the two appeared to be discussing international agreements. Could this have been a subtle reference to Trump’s well-known decisions to withdraw from Obama’s landmark policies, such as the Iran nuclear deal or the Paris Climate Agreement?
As the conversation progressed, the two appeared to be plotting their next move. Trump said, “Call me at the foy after, yep,” seemingly referring to the National Cathedral’s foyer. Obama, nodding, responded with, “Can you just … it should be good.” Trump replied firmly, “I can’t talk, we have to find a quiet place sometime. This is a matter of importance, and we need to do this outside so that we can deal with it, certainly, today.”
Given their tumultuous history—Trump has accused Obama of orchestrating the FBI’s alleged surveillance of his 2016 campaign, and Obama has mocked Trump repeatedly for his obsession with crowd sizes and even his business ventures—it’s no surprise that any conversation between them would be anything but ordinary.
The intriguing whispers suggest that, despite their differences, the two men could be aligning on something important. Could it be related to Trump’s withdrawal from Obama’s international pacts? Or was this about something entirely new? The world may never know. But what we do know is that even in moments of quiet reflection, the stakes for Obama and Trump remain anything but peaceful.
