Jill Biden, her eyes hidden behind sunglasses, appeared stoic as she sat next to Kamala Harris at Arlington National Cemetery for a Veterans Day ceremony.
The first lady looked forward as Kamala Harris leaned toward her husband Doug Emhoff, who was seated on the other side.
There have long been reports that there is no love lost between Jill Biden and Harris, a feud that dates back to the 2020 Democratic primaries when Harris attacked Joe Biden during the first primary debate. The first lady, however, repeatedly campaigned for Harris after President Biden was booted from the presidential race.
But now the votes have been counted and the results show Harris lost to Donald Trump in a landslide, leaving Harris’s camps and Biden’s allies to blame each other for the Democrats’ defeat.
Jill Biden and Kamala Harris at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday
Monday, Veterans Day, marked the first time President Biden and Vice President Harris have seen each other since the election.
The two couples traveled to Arlington National Cemetery to watch Biden lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The first lady wore black to commemorate Veterans Day, which honors America’s military veterans. He entered Arlington National Cemetery before the president to take his place with the rest of the crowd. Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff joined her.
Jill and Doug watched as Biden placed the wreath and crossed himself. Harris was at his side.
They then followed their spouses to the amphitheater where the president addressed veterans and members of the military.
Jill Biden greeted Emhoff enthusiastically. They chatted as they took their seats and waited for the speeches to begin. The two spouses have been close for a long time.
But as Harris took a seat between them, Jill turned her attention to the ceremony.
The first lady is known to hold a grudge. She and Hunter Biden were influential when Joe Biden decided to run for a second term. Jill was part of the group surrounding the president as party leaders pressured him to drop out of the presidential race.
Biden endorsed Harris to replace him.
And Jill campaigned in several battleground states for Harris.
During her campaign stops, the first lady touted get-out-the-vote efforts, reminding voters in each state when early voting begins and urging them to cast their ballots.
She also brushed aside reports that there was tension between her and Harris in the early days of the Biden administration after Harris pursued Joe Biden in the 2020 Democratic primary, to talk about the Harris she has come to know.
“As Kamala and I got to know each other over the last four years, we bonded over many things, but one of the things we talked about is how we lost our mothers, both to cancer, long before we were born.” We don’t need them anymore,” the first lady said.
She painted a more compassionate picture of Harris, talking about how the vice president appreciates a recipe from her mother and how she has fought for women her entire life.
Doug Emhoff and Kamala Harris smile at each other as Jill Biden looks ahead
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery on Veterans Day.
Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, Vice President Kamala Harris, First Lady Jill Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Veterans Day
He also addressed “lies” about Harris, who has been the subject of conspiracy theories and false claims by Trump.
“You’re probably already hearing all kinds of lies about Kamala,” he said at an event in Yuma on Friday night. He went on to describe Harris’ work as attorney general, senator and vice president of California.
Trump has falsely accused Harris of lying about working at McDonalds as a teenager and has misrepresented the role she played in the Biden administration’s work on border security.
Jill Biden also spoke about Harris’ work fighting crime as attorney general and how she helped a high school friend who was living in an abusive situation.
“That’s the Kamala Harris I know: a fast, tough, compassionate and decisive leader,” he said.
