Hillary Clinton described Melania Trump as a “little girl” when she met the former first lady at Rosalynn Carter’s memorial service.
Trump, Clinton and Michelle ObamaLaura Bush, and the First Lady Jill Biden They put aside their differences in November 2023 to remember Rosalynn, a member of their exclusive club of presidential wives.
“Melania had a look on her face, very smiley but unsure, that reminded me of the little kid at the birthday party who doesn’t know anyone and is waiting at the edge of the circle, hoping people will be nice,” Clinton wrote of the encounter in her book Something Lost, Something Gained.
Melania Trump leads Michelle Obama, Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton at Rosalynn Carter’s memorial service in November 2023
She revealed that she did not know Trump would join the other former first ladies in honoring Rosalynn.
“If anyone in the White House or in Bill’s or my Secret Service had been briefed on Mrs. Trump’s plan to attend, they did not tell me,” Clinton said.
She described how she walked into the waiting room and saw Melania Trump chatting with Laura Bush.
She said all the politicians there were “nice” to Trump, whose husband had been critical of all of them.
“We all reached out to her,” Clinton said of the group of former first ladies. President Joe Biden and former President Bill Clinton also attended the service and joined in the conversation. Former Presidents Donald Trump and Barack Obama were invited but did not attend.
“Jill gave him a kiss on the cheek and Michelle Obama gave him one of her signature big hugs,” Clinton wrote.
He added that Bill Clinton…I tried to start a conversation and asked her how she was, but she only responded with a smile and a few words. I shook her hand and said, “Hello, Melania, nice to see you.”
“I can understand how uncomfortable it must have been not knowing what kind of reception she would get after all of her husband’s insults directed at us, the Bushes, the Bidens, the Obamas and the Clintons alike,” Clinton added.
Clinton has been on a book tour to promote her new book, which came out Tuesday.
First ladies sitting in the front row at Rosalynn Carter’s service, Melania Trump is seated next to Michelle Obama and across from Kamala Harris.
In November 2023, Melania Trump made the surprising decision to join the ceremony. During the funeral, Rosalynn Carter’s grandson Jason noted that it was important to his grandmother that former first ladies showed their unity in difficult political times.
“Thank you all for coming and recognizing this remarkable brotherhood you share with my grandmother,” she said.
“And thank you all for the leadership you provided to our country and the world.”
To laughter from the audience, he added: “Secretary Clinton and Dr. Biden, we also welcome your lovely husbands.”
It is a tradition for all living first ladies to attend their predecessor’s memorial service.
Melania Trump attended Barbara BushClinton’s funeral was held in April 2018 alongside her predecessors in the White House.
The memorial service was a rare public appearance for Melania Trump, whose husband, Donald Trump, had been highly critical of Jimmy Carter’s administration.
At the time, Donald Trump had announced that he was seeking a new term in the White House.
She stood out among her peers.
Trump opted to wear a distinctive grey tweed coat, which he paired with black shoes and leather gloves, while the others wore all-black ensembles in muted tones.
He sat next to Michelle Obama at the service and sat directly across from Vice President Kamala Harris.