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Mike Pence’s wife Karen remains seated as she snubs Trump and Melania at Jimmy Carter’s funeral

By Khushali Srivastava
Updated On : 05:34 PST, Jan 10, 2025
Mike Pence’s wife Karen remains seated as she snubs Trump and Melania at Jimmy Carter’s funeral
Donald Trump and Mike Pence shook hands at Jimmy Carter's funeral on January 9, 2025, however, Karen Pence remained seated (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC: During the funeral of former president Jimmy Carter in Washington, DC, on Thursday, January 9, a brief yet notable exchange shed light on the lingering strain in the relationship between Donald Trump and his former vice president, Mike Pence.

As Trump and his wife, Melania, passed by the Pences, Mike Pence stood to shake hands with the former president, but his wife, Karen Pence, remained seated, as reported by People.

 

Karen Pence appears to snub Donald Trump at Jimmy Carter's funeral

President-elect Donald Trump and incoming first lady Melania Trump greet former Vice President Mike Pence at the state funeral for former President Jimmy Carter at Washington National Cathedral on January 9, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Joe Biden declared today a national day of mourning for Carter, the 39th President of the United States, who died at the age of 100 on December 29, 2024 at his home in Plains, Georgia. Following the state funeral, Carter’s remains will be returned to Plains, Georgia where he will be interred after a private family service. (Photo by Haiyun Jiang-Pool/Getty Images)
President-elect Donald Trump and incoming first lady Melania Trump greet former vice president Mike Pence at the state funeral for former president Jimmy Carter at Washington National Cathedral on January 9, 2025, in Washington, DC (Haiyun Jiang-Pool/Getty Images)

As Donald Trump, 78, made his entrance, Mike Pence, 65, rose from his seat in the row behind and offered a handshake. The two shared a few words in a short exchange.

Karen Pence, the former second lady, remained seated next to her husband and neither stood nor extended a handshake to Trump, seemingly avoiding any acknowledgment of his presence.

WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 27: U.S. Vice President Mike Pence (R) and his wife Karen Pence join Trump
Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen Pence join Trump administration officials on stage after President Donald Trump delivered his acceptance speech for the Republican presidential nomination on the South Lawn of the White House on August 27, 2020, in Washington, DC (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Trump and Pence have not appeared together in public since leaving the White House under strained circumstances four years ago, following disagreements over the presidential election results and Trump's attempts to challenge them legally.

Joining Trump at the ceremony were all five living and former presidents — Bill Clinton, George W Bush, Barack Obama, Joe Biden — and their spouses, with Michelle Obama being the only notable absence.

A spokesperson shared, "Mrs Obama sends her thoughts and prayers to the Carter family, and everyone who loved and learned from the remarkable former President."

Pence made an unsuccessful bid for the presidency during the 2024 Republican primary, facing off against Trump before withdrawing from the race in October 2023. Notably, he refrained from endorsing Trump ahead of the November election.

Over the years, the two have openly criticized one another. In 2023, Trump labeled Pence as "delusional", while the former vice president stated he could not "in good conscience" support Trump’s candidacy.

How the Donald Trump-Mike Pence rift began

Former Vice President Mike Pence shakes hands with incoming first lady Melania Trump as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump looks on during the state funeral for former U.S. President Jimmy Carter at Washington National Cathedral on January 9, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Joe Biden declared today a national day of mourning for Carter, the 39th President of the United States, who died at the age of 100 on December 29, 2024 at his home in Plains, Georgia. Following the state funeral, Carter’s remains will be returned to Plains, Georgia where he will be interred after a private family service. (Photo by Haiyun Jiang-Pool/Getty Images)
Former Vice President Mike Pence shakes hands with incoming first lady Melania Trump as  President-elect Donald Trump looks on during the state funeral for former president Jimmy Carter at Washington National Cathedral on January 9, 2025, in Washington, DC (Haiyun Jiang-Pool/Getty Images)

This perceived snub comes amidst long-standing grievances over Donald Trump’s actions surrounding the January 6 Capitol riots, during which Karen Pence reportedly feared for her husband’s safety as a mob called for his execution.

The frosty interaction is widely viewed as a continuation of the fallout from January 6, 2021. On that day, Trump pressured Pence to block the certification of the 2020 election results. After Pence refused, Trump publicly condemned him, tweeting, “Mike Pence didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done.”

This remark aligned with the chants of "Hang Mike Pence" shouted by the mob breaching the Capitol—a sentiment Trump reportedly endorsed, as testified by former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson.

While Mike Pence has publicly maintained a cautious tone when discussing Trump, Karen Pence’s actions at the funeral suggest that her feelings remain far less restrained.

Despite greeting other attendees, including former president George W Bush and Laura Bush, Karen’s deliberate decision not to engage with Trump seems to speak volumes.

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