You may have seen the moment making waves on social media: President-elect Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama sharing a friendly chat at Jimmy Carter’s state funeral. The two were spotted laughing and talking before the ceremony at the Washington National Cathedral on Thursday, and their interaction quickly went viral.
Trump, who’s set to return to office on January 20, sat right next to Obama, just a row behind President Joe Biden. The cameras caught them chatting and smiling together. Trump, in his usual candid style, shared his thoughts on the encounter during a talk with reporters on Friday at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
“I didn’t realize how friendly it looked,” Trump admitted. “Boy, they look like two people that like each other. And we probably do.” As he watched footage of the exchange on Fox News, Trump said, “We have a little different philosophies, right? I don’t know, we just got along. But I got along with everybody on that.”
While Trump didn’t go into detail about what they were talking about, he did say they met backstage before the event and had a good time. “I thought it was a beautiful service, but we all got along very well,” he added.
In attendance at the funeral were not just Trump and Obama, but other living presidents and vice presidents, as the country paid its respects to the 39th president, Jimmy Carter, who passed away on December 29 at the age of 100. President Biden declared the day a national day of mourning.
After the ceremony, Carter was laid to rest next to his beloved wife of 77 years, Rosalynn, in a private ceremony in their hometown of Plains, Georgia.
A Long and Complex History
While Thursday’s moment seemed light-hearted and full of mutual respect, the history between Obama and Trump has often been marked by tension and disagreements. During Trump’s first presidential campaign, he made no secret of his intention to undo many of Obama’s policies, including Obamacare, climate change regulations, LGBTQ+ protections, and even policies around marijuana legalization. Trump also stirred controversy by repeatedly questioning Obama’s birthplace.
In 2011, Trump famously told CNN’s Anderson Cooper, “I really don’t know…I don’t know why he wouldn’t release his records. But you know, honestly, I don’t want to get into it.”
As for Obama, he hasn’t shied away from sharing his opinions about Trump. Back in October, he didn’t hold back, calling into question his successor’s mental fitness and expressing concern about the country’s future. At a rally for Kamala Harris in Madison, Wisconsin, Obama said, “There are questions about his competence. I mean, he’s out there giving two-hour speeches. It’s like Fidel Castro – just keeps on talking. It’s just word salads.”
Despite their differences, the friendly exchange at Carter’s funeral shows a different side, reminding us that even the most public figures can share moments of respect, no matter the past. What do you think of their interaction? It’s a surprising and intriguing twist in their complex relationship.
