Former presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and George W Bush will not attend Donald Trump’s traditional inaugural lunch though they will attend the inauguration. Inaugural luncheon tradition stems from a lunch the Senate Committee on Arrangements hosted in 1897 for President William McKinley and the guests at the Capitol. This will not be a first departure from the tradition and Donald Trump did not even attend the inauguration of President Joe Biden.
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According to an NBC report, Obama received the luncheon invitation but declined to attend; Clinton too was invited but won’t attend while Bush’d office said it was not tracking an invitation to the luncheon. Former Secretary of State and first lady Hillary Clinton also received an invitation to the the inaugural luncheon but will not attend.
The Trump transition team has not commented on the three former presidents rejecting the lunch.
Bush, Clinton, Obama were all present at Jimmy Carter’s funeral making it a rare display of unity as Joe Biden and Donald Trump were also there. The overall mood of the former presidents to Donald Trump was that of a snub though Barack Obama was seen chatting with Donald Trump.
Except for Michelle Obama, former first ladies are also expected to attend the swearing-in ceremony. Michelle missed Jimmy carter’s funeral too and her team cited a scheduling clash as the former first lady was said to have been vacationing in Hawaii. For missing Trump’s inauguration, Michelle Obama’s team did not give any reason.
In 2017, the Clintons attended the luncheon during which Donald Trump encouraged a standing ovation for Hillary Clinton. “I was very honored, very, very honored when I heard that President Bill Clinton and Secretary Hillary Clinton was coming today,” Trump said at the time.
The 60th presidential inauguration ceremony will commence at 12 pm ET.
