A memorial service was held Tuesday afternoon for former First Lady Rosalynn Carter – who passed away last week at the age of 96 – attended by a group of former presidents and first ladies, including a rare appearance by former First Lady Melania Trump, marking the first time in over six years that a member of the Trump family has gathered with a member of the Obama family.
Key Facts
Attending the special memorial service in Atlanta was President Joe Biden, along with former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, Rosalynn Carter’s husband of 77 years.
Although former Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump did not attend the service, their wives – Laura Bush, Michelle Obama, and Melania Trump – all attended, along with former First Lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
This service marked the first time a member of the Obama family has publicly appeared with a member of the Trump family since Donald Trump’s inauguration in 2017.
Rosalynn Carter passed away last week at the age of 96, after several weeks spent joining her husband in their long-time home in Plains, Georgia.
Surprising Fact
Melania Trump has largely remained out of the public eye since her husband lost the 2020 presidential election and the Capitol was stormed on January 6. After that election, her appearances were limited to a farewell speech on January 18, 2021, and a Republican event hosted by the extreme right-wing gay rights group “Log Cabin Republicans” at their Mar-a-Lago property in Florida in November 2021, along with a visit to a U.S. Coast Guard station in Florida in December 2021. Melania Trump also made a rare appearance on Fox News in May 2022, where she accused the media of left-leaning bias, and joined her husband to kick off his 2024 presidential campaign last November.
Main Background
Rosalynn Carter was known for her ongoing advocacy for mental health care and women’s rights as First Lady of Georgia during her husband’s governorship from 1971 to 1975, and as First Lady of the United States from 1977 to 1981. She also gained fame for her political role in her husband’s administration, having served as the honorary chair of the National Mental Health Association during her husband’s presidency. After Jimmy Carter lost the 1980 presidential election to former President Ronald Reagan, the Carters established the Carter Center for Human Rights, a nonprofit organization dedicated to eradicating diseases and promoting peace. The couple also became active members of the nonprofit organization Habitat for Humanity, helping to build over 4,000 homes in more than 10 countries. In a statement with the Carter Center, Jimmy Carter praised his late wife as a “equal partner in everything I accomplished over the years.”
Further Reading
Send me safe advice. Brian Bushard
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