Melania Trump has sensationally claimed the Obamas withheld information from them when they first moved into the White House, making the transition ‘challenging’.
Melania, 54, is preparing to return to the presidential residence on January 20 after her husband President-elect Donald Trump is sworn into office.
But the First Lady expects the move will be easier this time around, suggesting that is partly because she does not need to rely on her predecessors for information about the home and transition process – which she claims the Obamas withheld.
‘The first time was challenging; we didn’t have much information,’ she told Fox News’ Ainsley Earhardt. ‘The information was upheld [sic] from us by the previous administration. But this time I have everything… it’s a very different transition this time, second time around.’
Melania’s apparent snipe at the Obamas comes as it was revealed that Michelle has opted to skip Trump’s inauguration because she refuses to ‘be fake’ about her loyalties – stark contrast to her husband’s recent efforts to ‘unify’.
Melania’s suggestion that Michelle and Barack did not provide them with a warm welcome when they moved into the White House in 2017 shouldn’t come as much of a surprise – given the cringeworthy exchange the couples shared when the Trumps arrived at the presidential residence on Trump’s first Inauguration Day.
Melania presented Michelle with a gift – a photo frame beautifully wrapped in a Tiffany blue box – but Michelle awkwardly fumbled with the package before handing it to Barack, who passed it off to a nearby aide.
Michelle has already finalized her plans for returning to the White House, telling Earhardt that ‘I already packed and selected the furniture that needs to go’.
Asked whether Joe and Jill Biden had been accommodating in helping the Trumps back into the residence, Melania appeared to dodge the question and spoke instead on the hasty five-hour switchover on January 20.
Melania Trump has sensationally claimed the Obamas withheld information from them when they first moved into the White House , making the transition ‘challenging’
Melania’s apparent snipe at the Obamas comes as it was revealed that Michelle has opted to skip Trump’s inauguration because she refuses to ‘be fake’ about her loyalties – stark contrast to her husband’s recent efforts to ‘unify’. The Trumps and Obamas are pictured on the steps of the US Capitol at Trump’s first inauguration
The couples shared a cringeworthy exchange during the Trumps’ move in to the White House eight years ago. Melania presented Michelle with a gift – a photo frame beautifully wrapped in a Tiffany blue box – but the outgoing First Lady awkwardly fumbled with the package before handing it to Barack, who passed it off to a nearby aide
The White House transition team will have five hours to move the Bidens out of the residence and the Trumps in, Melania explained.
‘Everything needs to be planned to the minute,’ she said, noting that having prior knowledge of the residence is helpful.
She shared that she already made decisions about decor, which will be a ‘little different’ than what she opted for the first time around, and is seemingly excited to turn the White House into her home again.
She is excited to dive back into her role as First Lady and ‘serve the country’, but also intends to continue prioritizing her role as mother and wife.
‘I will be in the White House and when I need to be in New York, I will be in New York. When I need to be in Palm Beach, I will be in Palm Beach. But my first priority is to be a mom, to be a First Lady, to be a wife, and once we are in on January 20, you serve the country.
Melania added believes an ‘exciting four years’ are ahead and that ‘we have a lot to do and put the country back in shape’.
One of the most talked about moments was a clear moment of affection between Trump and Obama
Trump will be sworn in as president for the second time on Monday, capping one of the most astounding political comebacks in American history.
But unlike at his first inauguration, one former First Lady will be noticeably absent from the crowd, despite every living former president – including her own – and their spouses having vowed to attend.
Michelle Obama, 60, will not be at Monday’s ceremony. She also missed Jimmy Carter’s funeral, where her husband Barack was seen laughing and cozying up to the incoming President.
Trump, 78, and Obama, 63, shared a warm interaction ahead of the service, having a whispered conversation with one another in a moment which set the internet alight.
‘It did look very friendly, I must say,’ Trump later said.
But according to a source who spoke to Page Six, Michelle has no such plans to smooth over her relationship with Trump – putting her at odds with her husband’s friendly efforts.
‘She’s never been fake and she’s never been phony. She’s always been very deliberate about where and how she shows up,’ the source said.
‘She showed up reluctantly for the election. They were united, but she doesn’t have to unify around [Trump]. She doesn’t have to say anything.
‘Her absence speaks volumes.’
Trump’s inauguration will take place on January 20. Pictured: Trump at his last inauguration in 2017
Michelle has no such plans to smooth over her relationship with Trump – putting her at odds with her husband’s friendly efforts
On Wednesday, the office of Barack and Michelle Obama confirmed that Michelle would not be at the inauguration in a statement to the Associated Press.
‘Former President Barack Obama is confirmed to attend the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies. Former first lady Michelle Obama will not attend the upcoming inauguration,’ the statement read.
Historically, this would be seen as a monumental snub given all former presidents and first ladies have attended inauguration – even for the president of the opposite party – unless they were suffering from health issues.
But Trump himself blew up that modern precedent four years ago when he refused to attend the swearing-in ceremony of his successor, President Joe Biden.
First lady Melania Trump also skipped Biden’s inauguration.
When she missed Carter’s funeral, it was immediately cleared up that she had a ‘scheduling conflict’ which prevented her from attending. She was enjoying an extended holiday in Hawaii at the time.
But on this occasion, her office has made no such effort to explain away her absense.
At the funeral, Trump sat side by side with Obama, and later revealed they get along despite their differences and their past attacks on one another.
Michelle Obama was the only spouse absent during President Jimmy Carter’s funeral on Thursday. President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, former President Bill Clinton, former first lady Hillary Clinton, former President George W. Bush, former first lady Laura Bush, former President Barack Obama, former President and President-elect Donald Trump, former first lady Melania Trump, former Vice President Al Gore, former Vice President Mike Pence were all in attendance
‘I didn’t realize how friendly it looked,’ Trump said.
‘I said, “Boy they look like two people who like each other” and we probably do. We have little different philosophies, right, but we probably do.’
The president-elect added, ‘I don´t know. We just got along. But I got along with just about everybody.’
It comes amid wild conspiracy theories that the Obamas are heading for a split.
The two huge non-appearances have some fans of the political power couple concerned there’s trouble in paradise, with many taking to X to share their thoughts.
‘I’m calling it, the Obamas are getting a divorce,’ wrote one person.
Another posted: ‘An Obama divorce would not be on my 2025 predictions but it might happen.’
The couple, who first met in 1989 when they both worked at a law firm in Chicago, married in 1992.
The two have not shied away from sharing their struggles
When they first had children, the couple had some fights, as Barack would commute on a six-hour round trip to work at the Illinois Senate, and sometimes spend days away due to his job
They welcomed their first daughter, Malia, six years later in 1998, and their second daughter, Sasha, in 2001.
But others noticed the former first lade has simply been less publicly engaged as she grieves the death of her mother, Marian Robinson, in May.
When she spoke at the Democratic National Convention in August, she remarked that her grief almost kept her from coming onstage.
‘I still feel her loss so profoundly – I wan’t even sure I’d be steady enough to stand before you tonight,’ she told the massive crowd at Chicago’s United Center.
Still she headlined several campaign events for Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, ahead of Election Day.
