Mike Pence’s wife Karen stares at Melania and refuses to shake Trump’s hand at Jimmy Carter’s funeral
Karen Pence refused to recognize President-elect Donald Trump and Melania Trump as they arrived at the Washington National Cathedral for President Jimmy Carter’s funeral on Thursday.
The former second lady was seated next to her husband, former Vice President Mike Pence, and remained seated when the Trumps arrived.
She made no effort to shake hands with Melania Trump, with whom she worked closely when their husbands were in power during Trump’s first term.
Mike Pence shook hands with Donald Trump after former Vice President Al Gore did the same.
It was their first public interaction since 2021.
Karen Pence remained seated the entire time, looking ahead.
The Trumps and Pences had a major falling out after the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Trump had wanted Pence to throw out Electoral College votes from swing states that President Joe Biden won while presiding over the joint session of Congress to certify the 2020 election.
Karen Pence (seated center) refused to acknowledge President-elect Donald Trump and Melania Trump as they arrived at the Washington National Cathedral for President Jimmy Carter’s funeral on Thursday
Mike Pence shook hands with Donald Trump after former Vice President Al Gore did the same, marking their first interaction since becoming vice president and president in 2021. They had a major falling out after the January 6 attack on the Capitol
Pence refused and Trump’s supporters went after him — chanting “hang Mike Pence” and erecting a makeshift gallows outside the Capitol during the riot.
The Jan. 6 House committee found it was a Proud Boys informant had told the FBI that if members of the group had found Pence that day they would have killed him.
Still, Pence refused to leave the Capitol and hid in a garage-like building that was considered a secure location within the complex.
“The vice president did not want to take any chances that the world would see the vice president of the United States flee the Capitol,” his vice president counselor Greg Jacob testified to committee members in 2022.
Since leaving office, Pence has been in the political wilderness.
He tried to run against Trump for the 2024 nomination, but only stayed in the race from June to October 2023.
Trump — the distant frontrunner — didn’t even want to participate in the Republican Party primaries — so the two men never met on stage.
Trump replaced Pence with Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance on the 2024 ticket.
Karen Pence (bottom left) remains seated as Melania Trump and President-elect Donald Trump greet former Vice Presidents Al Gore and Mike Pence
Melania Trump appeared to take a step toward Karen Pence to acknowledge her, but the former second lady declined
Pence declined to endorse Trump, but he also would not endorse the Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris.
Instead, his political action committee funded ads ahead of the 2024 election, urging Americans to vote Republican on issues.
On Monday, the fourth anniversary of Jan. 6, Pence praised Harris for chairing the joint session to certify Trump’s victory.
He said it was “particularly admirable that Vice President Harris would preside over the endorsement of a presidential election she lost.”
Pence also sent well wishes to Trump.
“I welcome the return of order and civility in these historic events and offer my most sincere congratulations and prayers to President Donald J. Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance on their election to lead this great nation,” he said.