Jill Biden extends an olive branch to Trump after Melania rejected the White House meeting

Jill Biden gave Donald Trump a letter for Melania and promised to help her anyway after Melania declined her invitation to tea.

The first lady joined husband Joe Biden in greeting the presidential election as he arrived at the White House on Wednesday.

“She gave the president-elect a handwritten letter of congratulations for Melania, which also expressed her team’s willingness to assist with the transition,” the East Wing said.

When the outgoing president hosts the incoming president-elect in the Oval Office for a post-election meeting, the first lady traditionally hosts her successor for tea at the residence.

But Melania Trump declined to attend the White House meeting on Wednesday, as DailyMail.com exclusively reported earlier this week.

The former first lady is in conflict over her best-selling memoir ‘Melania,’ sources told DailyMail.com.

Melania’s office confirmed her absence, saying in a statement: “Her husband’s return to the Oval Office to begin the transition process is encouraging and she wishes him the best of luck.”

However, it was unclear what was meant by this statement: ‘In this case, several unnamed media sources continue to provide false, misleading and inaccurate information. Be distinctive with your news source.’

There is a long history of first ladies hosting their successors — with one recent and notable exception.

While Michelle Obama hosted Melania Trump in the aftermath of the 2016 election, Melania Trump did not meet Jill Biden after the controversial 2020 race, as Donald Trump falsely and repeatedly claimed he was the real winner.

Melania and Jill have yet to speak in the wake of Kamala Harris’ humiliating defeat, even though their spouses have had a cordial phone call, sources confirm.

The last time Jill Biden and Melania Trump would have seen each other would have been at Rosalynn Carter’s funeral in November last year. All living former first ladies were present.

There have been numerous reports that Melania Trump plans to become part-time first lady for her second term and may not even live in the White House full-time. She has not yet announced an agenda or hired any staff.

Four years ago, Donald Trump rejected Joe Biden after Biden defeated him, refused to invite him to the traditional Oval Office meeting and delayed the transition process. Melania Trump followed her husband’s example and did not contact Jill Biden.

However, the Bidens have promised a peaceful and orderly transition to the incoming Trump administration.

Donald Trump and Joe Biden met in the Oval Office on Wednesday morning.

The new president thanked the outgoing president for ensuring a smooth transition and said politics are “tough.”

Biden, 81, congratulated the president-elect and said “welcome back” as they sat down for conversations in the Oval Office.

The meeting, which many expected to be tense and awkward, started off pleasantly with the two men sitting in front of a roaring fire.

Trump wore a red tie and Biden a maroon one. Some of the nation’s greatest presidents – Franklin D. Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln and George Washington – stared down at them from portraits on the wall.

The brief glimpse the audience got of them was cordial, with them all calling each other by their first names. They shake hands. Harris, Biden’s vice president who defeated Trump, was not present and was not mentioned.

Melania Trump wishes her husband “good luck,” her office said

Donald Trump and Joe Biden were cordial, shaking hands and calling each other by their first names during their meeting in the Oval Office

Biden found himself in the unusual position of greeting the man who came before him and will replace him in the White House. Trump won in a landslide on November 5, capturing the popular vote and the Electoral College and capturing the seven key swing states.

“Well, Mr. President-elect Donald, congratulations,” Biden said. ‘I look forward to a smooth transition.’

The Bidens will attend Trump’s inauguration in January 2025, according to the White House.

Traditionally, the outgoing president welcomes the new president to the White House on the morning of the inauguration before riding together in the same vehicle to the Capitol for the swearing-in.

Trump rode to his own inauguration with then-President Barack Obama. Biden attended that inauguration in his role as outgoing vice president.

But in 2020, Trump became the first president to skip his predecessor’s swearing-in since Andrew Johnson skipped Ulysses S. Grant’s swearing-in in 1869.

Biden simply went to the Capitol from the hotel where he was staying and only went to the White House after taking the oath of office.

Donald and Melania Trump left the White House around 10 a.m. on the morning of Biden’s inauguration day.

Melania Trump and Michelle Obama had tea in the Yellow Oval Room in November 2016, shortly after Donald Trump won the presidential election

Donald and Melania Trump left the White House around 10 a.m. on the morning Joe Biden was sworn in as president; they haven’t returned since

Melania Trump is working on a transition and is showing some signs of building an office in the East Wing.

John Rogers, a top executive at Goldman Sachs and a member of the board of the White House Historical Association, will help Melania Trump staff the East Wing, Semafor reported.

Rogers helped Melania with personnel issues during the first Trump term. He has been involved in Republican politics since Ronald Reagan’s presidency.

But it’s still unclear how active she will be or where she will live.

The new first lady currently lives in New York City, while son Barron attends New York University. Her memoir, Melania, is a New York Times bestseller.

She was not deeply involved in the campaign. She attended the Republican National Convention but did not speak. She did not attend any of the presidential debates.

She did speak at a Trump campaign rally he held at Madison Square Garden in October.

The last time Jill Biden and Melania Trump reportedly saw each other was at Rosalynn Carter’s funeral in November last year – Melania Trump, Michelle Obama, Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton are seen at the funeral

Joe and Jill Biden enter the White House on Inauguration Day 2021 – the Trumps had already left and did not greet their successors

Her absence during Donald Trump’s many lawsuits was notable.

During the first Trump administration, Melania postponed her move to Washington DC so Barron could finish his school year.

She was not a heavily involved first lady, as her son was still in elementary school.