Former presidents and key political figures will miss the post-swearing-in luncheon, highlighting ongoing political divides.
Pelosi, who’s 84 and recovering from hip surgery, has been a vocal critic of Trump. She even attended his inauguration back in 2017, but this time, she’s sitting it out. Her spokesperson confirmed the news, but didn’t give any reasons.
She’s not alone; some other House Democrats, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, are also giving the festivities a miss. Meanwhile, Michelle Obama has said she won’t be at the swearing-in either, although her husband will be there.
Remember, Trump skipped Biden’s inauguration in January 2021, claiming without proof that the election was stolen from him. Pelosi has been using a walker since her surgery but has still shown up for important events, like the certification of the 2024 election.
During her time as speaker, she and Trump had quite the back-and-forth, even tearing up his State of the Union address in 2020. Trump has called her all sorts of names, too.
While Clinton, Bush, and Obama will attend the swearing-in, they won’t stick around for lunch, according to NBC News. Hillary Clinton is also expected to skip the meal.
This luncheon tradition goes way back to 1897, starting with President William McKinley, and is hosted by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. The Post has reached out for comments from the former presidents and Trump.
