The Trumps & Obamas Sat Together At George H.W. Bush's Funeral, Which Was So Awkward
On Wednesday, Dec. 5, political figures from all over the country gathered in Washington, D.C. to honor 41st President George H.W. Bush, who died on Friday, Nov. 30. Even though we might be in a tense political climate at the moment, this funeral served as a moment where political tension were set aside and respect took precedence. So, with seats filled with key political figures, these photos of the Trumps and Obamas at George H.W. Bush's funeral are civil, but so awkward.
The day of the funeral, President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrived last to honor H.W. Bush's legacy. Leading up to the funeral, it became apparent that based on protocol, the Trumps would have to sit next next to their immediate predecessors President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama, and everyone was on the edge of their seats wondering how the interaction would go down. Even though there was a lot of anticipation surrounding the reunion, the Obamas greeted Melania Trump with warm handshakes and pleasantries while President Trump shook the Obamas hands in turn in a cordial greeting. Even though they're remaining civil, I don't think I'm the only one who's feeling the awkwardness in the room.
This reunion between the Trumps and Obamas might have been under sad circumstances, but that's not the only reason why the atmosphere was a little awkward. According to NBC News, the Trumps haven't spoken to the Obamas since the 2017 inauguration, where President Barack Obama relinquished his position of power to Trump in January 2017. There's no denying that these four individuals aren't necessarily close friends. However, tensions between Trump and other political figures have been heightened over the past year, and Obama hasn't been shy about calling out the Trump administration for their controversial decisions (or throwing shade at his ongoing legal battles).
These photos of the Trumps and Obamas sitting next to each other may make us feel a bit uncomfortable, but at least it's relatively civil. Of course, who could forget the rare, and special, moment between President Obama and first lady Melania Trump during former first lady Barbara Bush's funeral on April 28. While attending Barbara Bush's funeral in Houston, Texas, President Obama and Melania sat next to each other to honor the former first lady. At first, one might assume that it could be tense between the two of them, but instead the exact opposite happened. While sitting next to each other, Obama and Melania exchanged warm pleasantries, which led the current first lady to even smile and laugh at Obama's remarks. Truth be told, it was the happiest she looked in months.
In addition to sitting next to the Obamas, the Trump family were in for an even more awkward reunion. Why so? Well, because President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sat just a few seats down from Donald and Melania Trump, and that interaction was a lot chillier than the Obamas. Once the Trumps arrived at the funeral, Hillary Clinton nodded to Melania, and then looked straight forward without even sparing a glance at Donald. Similarly, neither Bill Clinton nor President Trump attempted to reach out for a handshake once they sat down. Yikes.
Despite ongoing tensions between the Trumps and other political families, it's nice to see that these adults can set their issues aside in honor of an important occasion. Rest in peace, H.W.
