President-elect Trump and future first lady Melania Trump attended former President Jimmy Carter's funeral in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. The event saw Trump and one of his fiercest rivals, Barack Obama, setting politics aside briefly.
Trump and Obama were seated near each other, exchanging a few moments of chatting and laughter as other attendees arrived. It was a rare, amicable interaction between the two.
Dressed in a dark suit and a subtle blue tie, Trump arrived just before 10 a.m. Former Vice President Al Gore was the first to greet him, standing up with a smile as Trump entered the row.
Gore, attending alone, has been separated from Tipper Gore since 2010. Absent from the event were former Vice President Dick Cheney and his wife Lynne Cheney, highlighting tensions between Trump and the Cheneys.
Trump also had a brief exchange with his former ally, Mike Pence. Their relationship, strained after the Capitol Riot on Jan. 6, 2021, seemed civil as Pence reportedly said, “Good to see you.” However, Karen Pence remained seated and avoided engagement.
Obama arrived shortly after, without Michelle Obama. He shared a quick, lighthearted comment with former Vice President Dan Quayle, seated with his wife Marilyn and Al Gore.
Former President George W. Bush and Laura Bush soon followed, receiving the warmest reception of all attendees. Bush greeted several, while Trump and Obama continued their conversation.
When Bill and Hillary Clinton arrived, Trump and Obama seemed to avoid interaction with them. George W. Bush stood to greet Hillary, while Bill appeared lively despite recent health issues.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff arrived next. Trump and Harris avoided any visible acknowledgment of each other. Emhoff briefly glanced forward, while Harris reacted to seeing Obama and Trump talking.
Finally, President Biden and Jill Biden entered. Trump and Obama did not greet them, as Trump turned his attention to Melania, ending his conversations with others.