While much of the nation’s attention has been focused on the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles, former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral took place on Thursday. What was intended to be a somber occasion, however, quickly became charged with tension so thick attendees could feel it in the air.
Among the ceremonial obligations to honor the former president, the spectacle of political posturing and strained handshakes was enough to quite the sideshow. It began with President Donald Trump walking past Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Trudeau’s side-eye was practically a headline in itself.
Justin Trudeau glares at Trump during Jimmy Carter funeral amid threats to make Canada the 51st state https://t.co/R3uLA4ULqf pic.twitter.com/3umsXf6v18
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) January 9, 2025
The look spoke volumes about the icy relations between the two — especially since Trump’s tariff war sparked Trudeau’s resignation earlier this week. One can only wonder what was running through Trudeau’s mind as Trump passed — no words exchanged, just a cold stare.
Then came the handshakes. Trump shook hands with former Vice Presidents Al Gore and Mike Pence. The moment with Pence, though, was particularly notable. The two men, who have had their differences, looked like they were simply fulfilling the political equivalent of a ceremonial obligation — nothing more, nothing less.
But the true spectacle was the cold shoulder Trump received from the Bush family and the Clintons. As they walked past him, no one spoke a word, and the ice in the room was palpable.
LOTS OF MATERIAL SO FAR AT JIMMY CARTER'S FUNERAL:
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) January 9, 2025
- Trump shakes hands with Mike Pence.
- Obama does not shake Trump or Melania's hand - but shakes everyone else's hands.
- Bush walks right past the Trump's, then slaps Obama in the stomach and shakes hands with everyone else.
-… pic.twitter.com/Nx5vZ77Hqb
At least the Bushes and Clintons managed to look somewhat dignified while ignoring Trump. Barack Obama, however, went a step further, sharing a brief but genuine moment of conversation with Trump. Trump appeared to crack a joke that Obama laughed at — a lighthearted moment between Trump and the man who used the federal government to spy on his 2016 presidential campaign.
As if the scene wasn’t tense enough, the arrival of Joe and Jill Biden added some drama to the unfolding saga. They had to sit next to Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff. The body language of Jill Biden, who sat next to Kamala, was particularly cold.
BREAKING: Jill Biden and Kamala Harris completely ignore each other after being forced to sit next to each other.
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 9, 2025
Jill Biden literally turns her head away as soon as she sits down and looks visibly aggravated even being near Kamala. Wow.
CNN: "You didn't see a typically warm… pic.twitter.com/LJdbAEejWy
Yowza! Look at this screenshot.
look at this : they hate each other so much pic.twitter.com/xulfonBgPe
— Andrew Fisher (@acpandy) January 9, 2025
The awkwardness was so apparent that CNN’s Jake Tapper made a point of noting the “chilly reception” between Biden and Harris.
And speaking of body language, how would you interpret this:
Biden is fast asleep. He doesn't even know where he is.
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) January 9, 2025
This nightmare is over in a few days. pic.twitter.com/SO2t9xY9Ol
It sure looks like Biden was taking a little nap.
Another sideshow I enjoyed was watching Hillary Clinton. It wasn’t hard to imagine her internal frustration at the idea of being near President Trump again — especially now that he’s won a second term.
Related: Never Forget: Jimmy Carter Pardoned a Child Molester
As entertaining as all the drama at the funeral was, the real story might actually be about who didn’t show up. If you didn’t catch it in the clips above, Michelle Obama was notably absent. Her office offered no explanation for her no-show, save that she had a “scheduling conflict,” but CNN reported that she’s currently in Hawaii on what’s described as an “extended vacation.”
HOW UTTERLY DISRESPECTFUL: CNN says that Michelle Obama has a "scheduling conflict, and she is still actually in Hawaii on an extended holiday vacation."
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) January 9, 2025
Imagine if Melania Trump did this. The leftist media would be in total meltdown. pic.twitter.com/XMl1417RVk
Boy does that raise a lot of questions for another post!
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