Melania Trump and all former first ladies will join President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden in paying tribute to Rosalynn Carter in Atlanta today.
People attending Rosalynn Carter funeral
Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, Michelle Obama and Melania Trump will attend an invitation-only tribute service, the Carter Center announced.
Former President Bill Clinton will also attend as will Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff.
It’s a rare public appearance from Melania Trump, whose husband Donald Trump had been highly critical of Jimmy Carter’s time in office.
The Trumps paid tribute to Rosalynn Carter’s work on humantarian and mental health issues when she died earlier this month.
Melania Trump has been seen in social media posts from the Trump’s private Mar-a-Lago Club but she has not been in the public eye in nearly a year.
She was seen in New York over the summer running errands but her last public appearance was November 15, 2022, when Donald Trump announced he was making another bid for the White House.
History between Donald Trump and Jimmy Carter
And, notably, Melania Trump hasn’t been by Donald Trump’s side as he fights his many legal battles in New York, Georgia, and federal courts.
Her husband mocked Jimmy Carter’s presidency shortly after Rosalynn entered hospice services.
READ MORE: Jimmy Carter, oldest living former U.S. president, is placed in hospice care
At a political rally in Fort Dodge, Iowa, Trump in his criticism of Biden, told a crowd of supporters that ‘the happiest person anywhere in this country right now is Jimmy Carter because his administration looked brilliant compared to these clowns.’
‘Compared to Biden, Jimmy Carter was a brilliant, brilliant president,’ Trump said.
Both Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter had attended Trump’s presidential inauguration in 2017.
Will Donald Trump attend Rosalynn Carter’s funeral?
The former president was not on the guest list for the memorial service that was released by the Carter Center, nor were former Presidents Barack Obama or George W. Bush.
But it’s traditional for all living first ladies to attend the memorial service for a predecessor.
Melania Trump attended Barbara Bush’s funeral service in April 2018 along with her predecessors in the White House.
President Biden will not speak at the service for Rosalynn Carter, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.
