Why Melania Trump’s Presence At Rosalynn Carter’s Funeral Service Marked A Big Change For Her

Melania Trump’s attendance at former first lady Rosalynn Carter’s memorial service also served as a poignant reminder of a time when both presidential wives broke the status quo in similar ways. Fox News reported in 2021 that Trump opted to forgo the standard “tea and tour” ritual wherein the sitting first lady gives the future first lady a tour of the presidential estate. Jill Biden’s daughter, Ashley Biden, said the break in protocol was “unfortunate, but I think we’re all OK with it” while speaking to the “Today” show.

A similar breach in procedure occurred in 1980 when it was time for Rosalynn Carter to host a “tea and tour” for her successor, former first lady Nancy Reagan. Although Carter did conduct a tour, she didn’t show Reagan the presidential bedroom and study. Meanwhile, Carter’s husband, former President Jimmy Carter, kept the White House at a brisk 65 degrees due to the energy crisis at the time. Reagan later wrote of the experience: “The chill in [Rosalynn Carter’s] manner matched the chill in the room” (via CNN).

Although The Washington Post reported the 2016 tea and tour between Michelle Obama and Melania Trump as “awkward,” it did occur. Kate Andersen Brower, author of “The Residence” and “First Women,” did concede to the Post that “given what has gone on, I would be surprised if Michelle Obama was chatty with Melania,” adding, “This is pure political theater now.”