President-elect Trump and his former vice president, Mike Pence, shook hands at former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral on Thursday in their first public interaction in four years. The two were seen standing together inside Washington, D.C.’s National Cathedral as they acknowledged each other and appeared to say a few words. Pence then shook the hand of former first lady Melania Trump.
This is the first time the two have publicly interacted since they parted ways on rocky terms after not being able to agree on the results of the presidential election and what legal recourse Trump had to contest it. Pence ran unsuccessfully for president against Trump in the 2024 presidential primary and did not endorse him at any point leading up to the November election. They have publicly criticized each other over the years, with Trump calling Pence “delusional” and Pence saying he could not “in good conscience” endorse Trump.
The funeral brought together all five living men who once occupied the White House, including President Biden and former Presidents Clinton, George W. Bush, Obama, and Trump. Former Vice President Al Gore was also in attendance, along with children of the deceased president. Following the funeral, Carter’s remains will be flown to his hometown of Plains, Georgia for a private ceremony.