Michelle Obama doesn’t attend state funeral for Jimmy Carter

Former first woman Michelle Obama didn’t attend the state funeral Thursday for former President Jimmy Carter.

Aside from Michelle Obama, the entire residing former presidents and their spouses have been on the funeral, together with Barack Obama, sitting within the entrance pews of Washington Nationwide Cathedral behind solely President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris and their spouses.

Michelle Obama’s workplace confirmed she didn’t attend the funeral however didn’t say the place she was or why she was absent.

“Former First Girl Michelle Obama isn’t in attendance at President Carter’s Nationwide Funeral Service,” in response to the assertion from spokesperson Crystal Carson. “Mrs. Obama sends her ideas and prayers to the Carter household, and everybody who beloved and discovered from the outstanding former President.”

CNN reported earlier than the funeral that the previous first woman had a scheduling battle and remained in Hawaii, the place she had been on an “prolonged trip.”

State funerals for former presidents are among the many few occasions that carry collectively the nation’s most outstanding leaders of previous and current, together with dignitaries from all branches of the U.S. authorities and representatives of overseas leaders.

Barack Obama, a Democrat, appeared to talk cordially to his Republican successor, Donald Trump. So did former Democratic President Invoice Clinton and his Republican successor, George W. Bush. Trump shook fingers together with his personal former vp, Mike Pence, who was a loyal ally till he refused to associate with Trump’s efforts to stay president after dropping the 2020 election to Biden, a Democrat.

The dignitaries will collect once more in Washington on Jan. 20 when Trump is sworn in for his second time period within the White Home. Michelle Obama’s spokesperson didn’t instantly say whether or not the previous first woman would attend the inauguration.