Does Michelle Obama Need an Excuse to Skip Trump’s Big Day?

Crowds of MAGA followers, politicos, journalists and tech bros will be descending on Washington, D.C. over the next few days for president-elect Donald Trump’s second inauguration. But one name is notably absent from the guest lists: Michelle Obama.

The former first lady has said she won’t be in attendance—sans excuse—having also bailed on Jimmy Carter’s funeral last week, because of a “scheduling conflict.”

And good for her, Don Lemon argued during an interview on this week’s episode of The Daily Beast Podcast. Lemon said he appreciated Obama sticking to her guns, after blasting Trump as a racist conman during her speech at the 2024 Democratic National Convention last year.

“I think that we should stop putting on airs. I think we should stop this sort of phony civility that folks think that you have to give,” Lemon said.

Podcast co-host Joanna Coles had a different take, arguing that former president Barack Obama, who will be in attendance, “has every reason to feel more strongly” than his wife. “I would’ve thought that the symbolism of the two of them as a couple, reminding us of how they were in the White House, is stronger than absence,” Coles said.

And Samantha Bee suggested that Michelle’s decision to stay home might prove contagious—literally.

“How badly do you think that Kamala wants to skip that inauguration?” Bee said. “What’s the over-under on her just, like, happening to get norovirus Monday morning? I’d be licking subway poles.”

New episodes of The Daily Beast Podcast are released every Thursday. Like and download on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcast app. And click here for email updates as each new episode drops.