As of Monday afternoon, Mr. Trump had made no mention of the queen’s funeral. Although there is no obligation for him to do so, the silence is unusual as he is a former head of state. On Monday, former President Barack Obama issued a statement calling the queen “kind” and “no-nonsense” with a “clear understanding of her role as a symbol for a nation.” Specifically, it appears that Mr. Obama only made one statement regarding the Queen’s funeral. Former presidents Bill Clinton, George W Bush and Jimmy Carter made statements on September 8 following the Queen’s death. Trump also issued a statement on the same day. On the Truth Social platform, he said: “What a wonderful and beautiful lady she was – there was no one like her.” He also expressed his “sincere condolences” to her family. “May God bless the Queen, may she reign forever in our hearts and may God keep her and Prince Philip in constant care,” he said. Former First Lady Melania Trump, however, issued a statement on Twitter honoring the queen. “We are grateful for your strength, grace and devotion for more than seven decades. I will always cherish the time we spent together,” she wrote. Historically, it is not unheard of for current presidents to accompany their predecessors to the funerals of heads of state or other important figures. When Pope John Paul II died, Bush took his father, former President George HW Bush, and Mr. Clinton to the funeral. Mr. Obama did the same, taking Mr. Bush with him on Air Force One to Nelson Mandela’s funeral. That funeral was also attended by Mr Clinton and Mr Carter, although they flew separately. However, Joe Biden not taking Trump with him to the funeral is not snubbing. According to the White House, Biden and First Lady Jill Biden were the only ones invited. British authorities told them they would not be allowed to bring an American delegation with them, according to Lewis Lukens, former deputy chief of mission at the US embassy in London. He told USA Today that the delegation was turned down because of the “high demand” for seats at the funeral. Despite not being invited to the funeral, Mr Trump was invited – like other living former presidents – to attend a memorial service for the Queen in Washington. This event will take place on September 21 and is organized by the British Embassy in Washington National Cathedral. So far, none of the former presidents have confirmed their presence at the event.
