George W. Bush’s unlikely friendship with the Obamas was on display once againat the state funeralforJimmy Carter, even in former first ladyMichelle Obama’s absence.
On Thursday, Jan. 9,all of the living U.S. presidentsand all but one of the surviving first ladies gathered in Washington to pay their respects to Carter — and while it’s usually George’s playful interactions with Michelle that go viral at formal events, Thursday’s service spawned a different light-hearted moment between him and his successor,Barack Obama.
Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama shake hands after Jimmy Carter’s funeral service on Jan. 9, 2025.Chip Somodevilla/Getty
Chip Somodevilla/Getty
At the Washington National Cathedral, George and his wife,Laura Bush, went to take their seats in a row where Barack — whose wife was unable to attend — was already sitting besideDonaldandMelania Trump. As George approached, Barack paused his conversation with Donald and stood up to allow his predecessor into the row.
When the Bushes entered the aisle, walking right past the Trumps, George gave Barack a friendly tap on the belly with his knuckles and kept on moving toward his seat. Video of the nonchalant greeting quickly circulated on the internet as new apparent evidence of the first families' comfort around one another.
First lady Michelle Obama hugs President George W. Bush at a 2016 museum opening in Washington.ZACH GIBSON/AFP via Getty
The Bushes and Obamas, once at odds with each other as successive first couples from opposing political parties, have been characterized as friends since leaving the White House.
George, 78, and Michelle, 60, in particular have had a couple of fondly remembered funeral moments dating back to Sen.John McCain’s service at Washington National Cathedral in September 2018, when the former Republican presidenttook a mint from his wife and handed it to Michelleduring a eulogy.
CNN
Fans of the pair were further delighted when they reprised their kinshipwith a similar exchangemonths laterwhile George was mourning his own father, former PresidentGeorge H.W. Bush.
At the service, George was greeting fellow first couples in the front row when he removed a mint from his pocket, reached across Donald and Melania, and handed it to a smiling Michelle.
George W. Bush hands Michelle Obama a candy at his father’s funeral in December 2018.BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty
BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty
Though Michelle and George made waves online with their 2018 candy exchanges, the world first witnessed their unlikely friendship when the pairshared a hugat the opening of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture back in 2016.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Since then, Michelle has opened up about their relationship. In 2018, she said onTodaythat the former president “is my partner in crime at every major thing where all the formers gather.”
“So we’re together all the time, and I love him to death,” she said at the time, adding that George is a “wonderful” and “funny” man.
source: people.com
