Staff Reports
A recent dust-up at the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter has revealed just how deep the rift can go between the political elite. Karen Pence, wife of former Vice President Mike Pence, decided to take a personal jab at Melania Trump, refusing to shake her hand. This delightful moment of awkwardness unfolded as the Trumps made their grand entrance at the Washington National Cathedral, marking their first public outing since Donald Trump clinched victory in the 2024 presidential election. Instead of engaging in what would have been a simple gesture of goodwill, Pence turned her back, practically inviting a game of “Who’s the Bigger Snob?”
In a surprising twist, Melania Trump appeared to maintain her poise amidst the Pence’s apparent cold shoulder. Armed with an enigmatic smile that could suggest anything from mild discomfort to unyielding grace, she showed the nation how to turn the cheek on pettiness. The fallout from the 2020 election between Donald Trump and Mike Pence has long been a soap opera worth its weight in popcorn, and it seems that Karen Pence has chosen her side, which is clearly not Team Trump.
The political drama between these two has roots stretching back to the chaos surrounding January 6, 2021. Trump had hoped Pence would showcase his executive muscle by blocking the certification of the Electoral College results. Pence, showing what some might call a bizarre adherence to the Constitution, opted to go the lawful route, inciting Trump’s wrath and disappointing a fair number of conservative fans who viewed that move as treachery. Since that fateful day, the duo has been on decidedly frosty terms, with Pence publicly critiquing Trump’s management of the Capitol breach.
As clips of the Pence-Trump encounter circulated on social media, a chorus of keyboard warriors took to their devices, eager to dissect the drama. Many were quick to label Karen Pence as “petty” and “vindictive,” echoing sentiments that suggested she should really learn to play nice, especially considering her husband’s significant loss in favor of the former president’s rebirth. The chorus of online commentary almost felt like the long-awaited denouement of a mediocre sitcom: “People with no class make classless moves,” one user suggested, while another sniped that one would expect such behavior from a Pence.
NEW: 'Classless': Karen Pence Under Fire For REFUSING To Shake Melania Trump's Handhttps://t.co/Cry4DmWn46
— Proud Elephant 🇺🇸🦅 (@ProudElephantUS) January 9, 2025
Critics were more than willing to speculate about Karen Pence’s motivations, deeming her snub unnecessary and unbecoming of a former Second Lady. Observers noted that there appears to be a rift that reaches beyond mere personal grievances, as the shadows from January 6 continue to haunt political relationships in the GOP. One astute commenter noted that Karen Pence seems intent on disassociating herself from the Trumps, underscoring just how far the fallout from their political sabbatical continues to ripple through conservative circles.
In a political landscape already riddled with drama, the indifference of Karen Pence towards Melania Trump offered a ripe slab of irony, making one wonder if political civility is, in fact, a relic of the past. If the Pences are staking their claim as the “politically correct” members of the GOP while throwing shade at the still popular Trump family, one can only imagine how much more entertaining this saga is bound to become.
