First Lady Melania Trump's upcoming White House event honoring Barbara Bush will proceed without key members of the Bush family in attendance.
According to the Daily Mail, former President George W. Bush and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush will not attend the commemorative stamp ceremony for their mother, with only their sister Doro Bush Koch representing the immediate family.
The notable absences highlight the ongoing tension between President Trump and the Bush family. Trump has repeatedly criticized George W. Bush's presidency, particularly regarding the Iraq War, which he claimed was based on false pretenses about weapons of mass destruction.
The relationship between the two political families has been strained since Trump's ascent to power. During the 2016 campaign, Trump repeatedly attacked Jeb Bush and linked him to his brother's controversial decisions regarding Iraq.
George W. Bush and his wife Laura attended Trump's inauguration but departed before the luncheon. The former president's reaction to Trump's inaugural address, where he reportedly called it "weird s***," further illustrated the divide.
Many former Bush administration officials have distanced themselves from Trump, with Bush himself revealing he wrote in Condoleezza Rice for president in 2020 rather than supporting Trump's reelection bid.
The stamp unveiling event will continue with several Bush family representatives in attendance. Acting Postmaster General Doug Tulino and Alice Yates from the George and Barbara Bush Foundation will participate in the ceremony.
This event follows similar commemorative stamp ceremonies for other former first ladies. Last year, First Lady Jill Biden hosted an event for the Betty Ford stamp, which was attended by Ford's daughter Susan Ford Bales.
The office of the first lady confirmed that additional friends, family, and staff of the Bush family will attend but declined to provide a complete guest list.
Despite the current political divide, there are meaningful connections between the Trump and Bush families. Melania Trump attended Barbara Bush's funeral in 2018, joining other former first ladies while President Trump watched the service from Mar-a-Lago.
The White House explained Trump's absence from the funeral as an effort to avoid disruptions and show respect for the Bush family. This demonstrated a level of diplomatic consideration despite the political tensions.
The event continues the tradition of first ladies honoring their predecessors through commemorative stamps, with Jill Biden also hosting a ceremony for Nancy Reagan's stamp during her tenure.
The Barbara Bush stamp ceremony represents another chapter in the complex relationship between two of America's most prominent political families. This White House event showcases how institutional traditions continue even amid personal and political differences. The ceremony will go forward with Doro Bush Koch representing her family's legacy, while the absence of other prominent Bush family members reflects the ongoing political divisions within the Republican Party that Trump has reshaped during his presidency.
