Melania Trump snubs Jill Biden: First Lady makes revealing first move by skipping traditional White House meeting
Melania Trump will not join Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday, despite an invitation from President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden to attend.
Traditionally, when the outgoing president receives the new president-elect in the Oval Office, the first lady hosts her successor for tea at the residence.
Michelle Obama hosted Melania Trump for tea in the Yellow Room after the 2016 election. However, Melania Trump did not meet Jill Biden after the controversial 2020 race, as Donald Trump falsely and repeatedly claimed he was the real winner.
Melania and Jill have yet to speak in the wake of Kamala Harris’ humiliating defeat, even though their spouses have had a cordial phone call, sources confirm.
‘Madam. Trump is not going and they haven’t spoken a source with knowledge of the first ladies told DailyMail.com about Wednesday’s presidential sitdown.
Melania Trump (right) will not meet with Jill Biden (left) on Wednesday when Donald Trump visits the White House to meet with President Joe Biden
The last time Jill Biden and Melania Trump would have seen each other would have been at Rosalynn Carter’s funeral in November last year. All living former first ladies were present.
There have been numerous reports that Melania Trump plans to become part-time first lady for her second term and may not even live in the White House full-time. She has not yet announced an agenda or hired any staff.
Four years ago, Donald Trump rejected Joe Biden after Biden defeated him, refused to invite him to the traditional Oval Office meeting and delayed the transition process. Melania Trump followed her husband’s example and did not contact Jill Biden.
However, the Bidens have promised a peaceful and orderly transition to the incoming Trump administration.
“The Bidens jointly congratulated and invited the Trumps to a meeting at the White House,” Jill Biden’s office said.
Donald Trump and Joe Biden meet in the Oval Office on Wednesday.
The Bidens will attend Trump’s inauguration in January 2025, according to the White House.
Traditionally, the outgoing president welcomes the new president to the White House on the morning of the inauguration before riding together in the same vehicle to the Capitol for the swearing-in.
Trump rode to his own inauguration with then-President Barack Obama. Biden attended that inauguration in his role as outgoing vice president.
But in 2020, Trump became the first president to skip his predecessor’s swearing-in since Andrew Johnson skipped Ulysses S. Grant’s swearing-in in 1869.
Biden simply went to the Capitol from the hotel where he was staying and only went to the White House after taking the oath of office.
Donald and Melania Trump left the White House around 10 a.m. on the morning of Biden’s inauguration day.
They haven’t returned since.
Melania Trump with husband Donald Trump and son Barron on election night
Melania Trump and Michelle Obama had tea in the Yellow Oval Room in November 2016, shortly after Donald Trump won the presidential election
Donald and Melania Trump left the White House around 10 a.m. on the morning Joe Biden was sworn in as president; they haven’t returned since
Jill Biden at Arlington National Cemetery on the occasion of Veterans Day
Melania Trump is working on a transition and is showing some signs of building an office in the East Wing.
John Rogers, a top executive at Goldman Sachs and a member of the board of the White House Historical Association, will help Melania Trump staff the East Wing, Semafor reported.
Rogers helped Melania with personnel issues during the first Trump term. He has been involved in Republican politics since Ronald Reagan’s presidency.
But it’s still unclear how active she will be or where she will live.
The new first lady currently lives in New York City, while son Barron attends New York University. Her memoir, Melania, is a New York Times bestseller.
She was not deeply involved in the campaign. She attended the Republican National Convention but did not speak. She did not attend any of the presidential debates.
She did speak at a Trump campaign rally he held at Madison Square Garden in October.
The last time Jill Biden and Melania Trump reportedly saw each other was at Rosalynn Carter’s funeral in November last year – Melania Trump, Michelle Obama, Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton are seen at the funeral
Joe and Jill Biden enter the White House on Inauguration Day 2021 – the Trumps had already left and did not greet their successors
Her absence during Donald Trump’s many lawsuits was notable.
During the first Trump administration, Melania postponed her move to Washington DC so Barron could finish his school year.
She was not a heavily involved first lady, as her son was still in elementary school.
