The recent announcement that former First Lady Michelle Obama would not be attending President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration sparked a heated debate. While some criticized her decision, others defended her right to choose. The internet was flooded with opinions, with many trying to read between the lines and understand the reasoning behind her decision.
Canadian investor Kevin O’Leary and musical artist Kid Rock, both supporters of Trump, publicly expressed their disappointment with Michelle Obama’s decision. O’Leary felt it was an insult to skip the inauguration, while Rock recalled performing at the Youth Inaugural Ball during Barack Obama’s presidency and questioned Michelle Obama’s absence.
However, others pointed out the double standard in criticizing Michelle Obama. As Canadian television host Melissa Grelo asked, “Should Michelle Obama be required to attend for the sake of tradition?” Grelo argued that Donald Trump’s absence from Joe Biden’s inauguration in 2020 was not scrutinized to the same extent.
Another co-host on Grelo’s show, The Social, noted that the expectation for First Ladies to attend events is not equally applied to First Husbands. “We’ve never had a female president, so until that playing field is equalized, the former First Lady can do whatever she wants to do.”
A source close to Michelle Obama revealed that she is not one to pretend for protocol’s sake, suggesting that her absence from the inauguration was a deliberate choice. Ultimately, the decision sparked a necessary conversation about the expectations placed on public figures, particularly women.
