As the Trumps prepare to return to the White House, incoming First Lady Melania Trump has taken a pointed jab at the Obamas, accusing the former first family of withholding critical information during Donald Trump's initial transition to the presidency in 2017. Her remarks come as Michelle Obama confirmed she will not attend Donald Trump's second inauguration on January 20, citing her long-standing criticism of the president.
In an interview with Fox & Friends, Melania reflected on the difference between preparing for the White House in 2017 and now, describing the earlier transition as "challenging" due to alleged obstructions by the outgoing administration. "The first time was challenging; we didn't have much of the information," Melania said. "The information was withheld from us by the previous administration."
She expressed confidence about the upcoming term, emphasizing her preparedness. "This time, I have everything. I already packed, I have selected the furniture. It's a very different transition this time," she added.
Michelle Obama's decision to forgo the inauguration has drawn attention, with her team declining to provide an official explanation. Reports suggest her absence stems from deeply held beliefs about Trump's impact on American democracy. "Michelle doesn't do anything because it's expected or it's protocol or it's tradition," an anonymous source told People.
Melania avoided directly addressing whether the Bidens have been cooperative in the transition process. "They're still living there and will be out on January 20," she stated, adding that the transition team will have only a few hours to move the Bidens out and the Trumps in.
The Obamas have remained critical of Trump throughout his political career. Michelle Obama previously described her discomfort during Trump's first inauguration in 2017, recounting her feelings while sitting on stage. "To sit on that stage and watch the opposite of what we represented on display... there was no diversity, no reflection of the broader sense of America," she said on The Light Podcast in 2023.
During that ceremony, a moment between the two first ladies went viral when Melania presented Michelle with a gift. Michelle, visibly unsure of protocol, awkwardly searched for a place to set it down. Reflecting on the incident years later, Michelle revealed her discomfort was rooted in the breach of tradition and her broader feelings about the transition of power.
Melania, for her part, acknowledged the lack of public support she felt during her husband's first term, but expressed hope for the upcoming years. "I think it will be an exciting four years. We have a lot to do to put the country back in shape," she said, adding, "I just feel that people didn't accept me. Maybe they didn't understand me the way they do now."
The strained relationship between the two first families underscores broader political tensions. Donald Trump, who skipped Joe Biden's inauguration in 2021, became the first president since 1869 to refuse to attend his successor's swearing-in. The decision, criticized by some, remains emblematic of the divisive nature of Trump's presidency.
