Future First Lady Melania Trump was notably absent as her husband, President-elect Donald Trump, met with President Joe Biden at the White House on Wednesday.
Traditionally, the first ladies of the outgoing and incoming presidents meet for a cordial tea in the residence, symbolizing a cooperative transfer of roles. In a statement posted on X, the Office of Melania Trump expressed best wishes for the transition process and criticized “unnamed sources in the media” for spreading “false, misleading, and inaccurate information” about the decision, encouraging people to “be discerning with your source of news.”
This absence has prompted a wave of speculation. According to Daily Mail, the absence was perceived as a snub to Jill Biden, who reportedly extended an invitation for a joint White House visit. The two women, who have not spoken since the 2020 election, seem to be following a different protocol from past transitions.
In 2016, then-First Lady Michelle Obama hosted Melania Trump for tea in the White House Yellow Room after Trump’s victory over Hillary Clinton. This recent shift underscores the ongoing tensions between the Trump and Biden camps following the contested 2020 election and the chaotic aftermath.
Mrs. Trump will not be attending today’s meeting at the White House. Her husband’s return to the Oval Office to commence the transition process is encouraging, and she wishes him great success.
In this instance, several unnamed sources in the media continue to provide false,…
— Office of Melania Trump (@OfficeofMelania) November 13, 2024
Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s meeting with Biden marked a historic and surprisingly cordial exchange. In an interview with The Post, Trump called the encounter “very enjoyable,” highlighting how both men spoke candidly about the transition process. “It’s been a long slog,” Trump admitted. “It’s been a lot of work on both sides, and [Biden] did a very good job with respect to campaigning and everything else. We really had a really good meeting.”
The Oval Office meeting also touched on areas where the two presidents have vastly different views, including the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. Trump, who has promised to end the war in Ukraine swiftly upon taking office, asked Biden for his perspective on these issues.
“I wanted to know his views on where we are and what he thinks. And he gave them to me; he was very gracious,” Trump remarked. This measured exchange reflected a rare moment of diplomacy between the two leaders, with Trump acknowledging Biden’s insights.
Trump also disclosed that he and Biden plan to meet again just before Inauguration Day, with Biden set to attend the ceremony—a symbolic gesture that contrasts sharply with the previous transition, during which Trump did not attend Biden’s inauguration. “The Oval Office is so beautiful, and I do certainly look forward [to coming back],” Trump told The Post. “We’ll have that very, very nice meeting that takes place between two presidents sometime prior.”
