President Donald Trump will not join first lady Melania Trump in attending the funeral services for Barbara Bush, the White House said in a statement, citing a desire to “avoid disruptions” stemming from the increased security presence and “out of respect for the Bush Family and friends.”
“First Lady Melania Trump will attend the memorial service for Barbara Bush this Saturday on behalf of the First Family,” a spokesperson confirmed Friday. “To avoid disruptions due to added security, and out of respect for the Bush Family and friends attending the service, President Trump will not attend.”
Barbara Bush, mother of the 43rd president, George W. Bush, and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush as well as former first lady as wife of 41st President George H.W. Bush, passed away on Tuesday. She was 92 and had been reported by a family spokesman to be in failing health shortly before returning to her home for palliative care.
The former first lady will lay in repose in Houston on Friday in a ceremony open to the public. The Bush family and friends will then gather for a private funeral service on Saturday.
A spokesperson for Melania Trump, Stephanie Grisham, announced Wednesday the first lady would attend the services, expressing her desire to pay “respects to Barbara Bush and the entire family at the funeral on Saturday.” Grisham and the White House initially declined to comment on whether the president or other Trump family members would attend.
A spokesperson for former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton confirmed they will attend the funeral, as will former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama, according to Bush family representative.
In total, roughly 1,500 guests will attend the 90-minute service, the family announced Friday. The ceremony will feature eulogies from Jeb Bush and Jon Meacham, a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and historian who authored a 2015 New York Times best-selling biography on the first President Bush.
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Trump won’t attend Barbara Bush funeral ‘out of respect’ for family, White House says https://t.co/nmZZ9mLZdd pic.twitter.com/NV0b5b9bxi
— POLITICO (@politico) April 20, 2018
Trump should stay home after all the nasty things he has said about the Bush family. Plus it’s going to be bad enough with Obama there trying to hog up the limelight. We don’t need two massive egos at what is supposed to be a celebration of Mrs. Bush’s life.
Mrs. Trump will represent the current president with class and dignity. I’m glad she is going and not him.
Barbara Bush's Secret Service detail, several of whom have been been with her for decades, refuse to leave her side until she is buried. Very powerful. pic.twitter.com/zAmotYTXsC
— John P. Lopez (@LopezOnSports) April 20, 2018
My guess is that Trump was asked to stay home. It would just be SOP for him to claim it was his idea.
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