Pence Fuels Theory That Wife Intentionally Gave Trump Cold Shoulder

Mike Pence recently fueled speculation about his wife Karen Pence’s chilly behavior toward Donald Trump at Jimmy Carter’s funeral. When asked about her apparent snub of the president-elect, the former vice president offered a cryptic response, suggesting that her actions were a personal matter.

“You’d have to ask my wife about her posture,” Pence told Christianity Today. “But we’ve been married 44 years, and she loves her husband, and her husband respects her deeply.” While Pence served as Trump’s vice president, their relationship soured after Pence refused to support Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.

The funeral marked the first time Pence and Trump had come face to face since leaving office in January 2021. While the two exchanged a handshake, Pence revealed more about their brief interaction: “He greeted me when he came down the aisle. I stood up, extended my hand. He shook my hand. I said, ‘Congratulations, Mr. President,’ and he said, ‘Thanks, Mike.’”

However, Karen Pence’s behavior was notably different. While her husband stood to greet Trump, she stayed seated and didn’t acknowledge Trump or his wife, Melania. But she did greet former President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura Bush, warmly.

Karen Pence wasn’t the only political spouse under scrutiny at the service. Former First Lady Michelle Obama was absent, reportedly due to a scheduling conflict, though her spokesperson confirmed she was in Hawaii. Her husband, former President Barack Obama, attended in her place and shared a lighthearted conversation with Trump, who he has often criticized.