Fact Check: Was Trump snubbed from Obama's library opening while other ex-presidents attended?

WASHINGTON, DC: As the Obama Presidential Center celebrated its grand opening in Chicago, a viral post sparked claims that sitting US President Donald Trump had been deliberately snubbed from the event. 

The opening ceremonies, held on June 18–19, 2026, marked a major milestone for the approximately $850 million privately-funded center in Jackson Park. 

The center showcases the lives and legacy of Barack and Michelle Obama while serving as a hub for civic engagement, education, and community programs on Chicago's South Side. But was Trump really excluded from the event? 

Claim: Trump was not invited to Obama Presidential Center opening ceremony

The rumor appears to have originated from an X user who asked, "Do you agree with Trump being left out?" The post claimed, "For the first time in the US history, the sitting president was not invited to attend the opening of a predecessor's library. Clinton, Bush, and Biden all showed up at the Obama library... no Trump." The user ended the post by asking followers for their thoughts.

The post included an image showing former Presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton together at the event, highlighting Trump's absence amid reports of his long-running feud with Obama and his recent public criticism of the Obama Presidential Center.

Media outlets widely noted the gathering of the four living former presidents, while Trump, the sitting president, did not attend the event.

A review of the image found no signs of manipulation or AI generation. But was Trump actually snubbed from the opening ceremony? Let's examine the facts.

Fact Check: True, Trump was not invited

Yes, Donald Trump was not invited to the grand opening of the Barack Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, while former Presidents George W Bush, Bill Clinton, and Joe Biden attended the event. The invite-only dedication ceremony brought together leaders from both political parties and was widely viewed as a notable bipartisan gathering.

The Obama Foundation confirmed that it did not invite Trump to the event. Organizers said the ceremony was designed to celebrate Obama's supporters and the individuals who helped make the center possible. Bush's attendance continued the longstanding tradition of former presidents participating in presidential library and center dedications. For example, Obama attended the dedication of Bush's presidential library in Texas in 2013.

Trump's absence reflected the long-standing tensions between him and Obama. Over the years, Trump has repeatedly criticized and mocked Obama, while Obama and his family have publicly condemned several of Trump's political actions and rhetoric.

Is Trump allowed to visit the Obama Presidential Center?

However, the foundation's leadership said Trump remains welcome to visit the center in the future.

Although organizers excluded Trump from the high-profile event, which attracted celebrities, political leaders, dignitaries, and other guests, Obama Foundation CEO Valerie Jarrett said the center would welcome him as a visitor.

"We have said that if President Trump would like to come and take a tour, we’d love to show him this campus and show him all the magnificent things that we have to offer, both to the people who live here and the people who visit from around the world," Jarrett told NBC News.