Former Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush won't be attending President-elect Donald Trump's inaugural lunch, a break from a long-standing tradition.
All three will, however, be present earlier in the day to witness Trump take the oath of office alongside their spouses-except for Michelle Obama. A representative for the Obamas didn't provide a reason, as reported by NBC News.
The inaugural lunch, first held in 1897, has long allowed former and incoming presidents to unite in bipartisanship. It was formalized in 1953 by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies.
While Obama and Clinton were both invited, sources close to them confirmed to NBC News they declined. Meanwhile, Bush's office reportedly had no record of an invite.
Trump skipped President Joe Biden's inauguration back in 2021, becoming the first outgoing president to forgo the ceremony since Andrew Johnson in 1869, as reported by CBS News.
Trump tweeted about it at the time.
To all of those who have asked, I will not be going to the Inauguration on January 20th.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2021
Despite her defeat, Hillary and Bill Clinton attended Trump's first inauguration in 2017. During that lunch, Trump honored their presence with a standing ovation.
The absence of all three ex-presidents from this year's luncheon is a departure from traditional precedents to maintain bipartisanship.
None of the former presidents publicly supported Trump's re-election bid, with Obama and Clinton campaigning for VP Kamala Harris. Bush refrained from endorsing any candidate.
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