- The Bidens’ relationship with Kamala Harris continues to deteriorate
- The first and second couple attended the Kennedy Center Honors on Sunday
- See the full US election results via our live-updated maps and charts
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden completely ignored Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff on Sunday.
The two couples sat next to each other during the Kennedy Center Honors on Sunday.
When they were announced at the arts awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., the president and first lady didn’t even look in the second couple’s direction and refused to shake hands, hug them or acknowledge their presence in any way.
Instead, the two were all smiles as they waved and greeted a cheering crowd before taking their seats. They even looked in the direction of Harris and Emhoff, but looked right past them.
The audience gave a one-minute standing ovation for the President and Dr. Biden.
During this time, the Bidens did not acknowledge Harris or Emhoff, who stood right next to them and joined the crowd to clap and cheer for the outgoing president.
The awkward meeting comes as reports emerge that the relationship between the first and second couple continues to deteriorate after the vice president took over the 2024 presidential election for the first time during the 2024 elections.
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden completely ignored Vice President Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff as they arrived at the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C. on Sunday
The first couple waved to the audience at the art awards ceremony as they received a standing ovation and refused to acknowledge Harris and Emhoff, who were sitting right next to them.
There was speculation on social media that the Bidens were trying to sabotage Harris’ chances, and others saw Joe don a “Make America Great Again” ball cap and Jill wear an all-red pantsuit to vote on November 5.
In late July, Biden succumbed to pressure from his party to end his re-election bid. Just moments after announcing the move, the president endorsed his No. 2 candidate to take over his campaign.
Donald Trump handily defeated Harris by winning all seven key swing states and capturing 312 of the 270 Electoral College votes needed for victory – the largest margin earned by a Republican candidate since the 1988 election.
Harris walked away from her presidential bid, leaving Democrats $20 million in debt after spending $1.5 billion in her short 15-week campaign.
Since then, the vice president has rarely had public events and has rarely been seen to be friends with the president and first lady.
But they were forced to sit side by side at the arts awards this weekend and were seen on camera as Joe and Jill ignored Harris and Emhoff.
The Kennedy Center Honors is an annual tribute and awards ceremony at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC
It is customary for the president and first lady to attend, along with the vice president and their spouse. The audience is also filled with Democratic and Republican politicians and top donors to the arts.
President Joe Biden (right) delivers remarks during a reception for the 47th annual Kennedy Center Honorees in the East Room of the White House. Seated from left to right: filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola; Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Bobby Weir of the Grateful Dead; blues rock singer-songwriter Bonnie Raitt; jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval; and Michelle Ebanks, president and CEO of the Apollo, which received a special distinction as an Iconic American Institution
The Bidens then headed to the Kennedy Center in Northwest Washington, D.C., where they attended the Kennedy Center Honors alongside Vice President Harris, with whom their relationship has soured over the past year.
This year the winners were filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola; Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann and Bobby Weir of the Grateful Dead; blues rock singer-songwriter Bonnie Raitt; jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval; and Apollo President and CEO Michelle Ebanks, whose theater received special distinction as an Iconic American Institution.
Biden hosted them for a reception at the White House before heading to the rainbow-lit Kennedy Center for the show.
“We love you Joe” and “Thank you Joe” were shouted as Biden and his wife waved down from their balcony-level seats.
Sunday’s show marks the final time the Bidens will be the first couple to attend one of Washington DC’s biggest social events.
The Marine Corps band took the stage and played the national anthem in Biden’s honor.
The first couple was joined by granddaughter Finnegan Biden – Hunter Biden’s second daughter.