Karen Pence remained seated and stared forward stoically as Donald and Melania Trump walked past her at Jimmy Carter’s funeral Thursday morning.
The lack of a Trump greeting—which she later gave to George W. Bush and his wife, Laura—was quickly deemed a snub by many online. Democrats praised her for the decision, while some conservatives labeled her classless.
Trump’s former VP Mike Pence, stood up to greet both Melania and the president-elect before they continued to their seats in the row in front of them.
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That handshake was the two men’s first public interaction since 2021, when Trump infamously ordered his VP to throw out Electoral College votes at the 2020 election’s certification—a demand Pence ignored, making him a pariah in the MAGA world.
The three rows of seating nearest the altar in Washington National Cathedral were filled with political foes of the 21st Century, but the group acted respectful given the somber setting.
Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, and their spouses were the final quartet of mourners to enter the service, taking a seat in the front row. None of the four greeted those seated behind them when they did so.
In the middle row, however, there was plenty of chummy conversation between Trump and Barack Obama. Cameras captured both men chuckling as they had a mystery conversation—able to be seated directly next to each other because Michelle Obama was a no-show at the funeral.
