A First Lady’s seating arrangement at a royal event sparks controversy, casting doubt on the current administration’s commitment to America’s closest ally.
Jill Biden‘s attendance at the coronation of Britain’s King Charles III without Joe Biden has stirred quite a controversy, as critics perceived it as a sign of disrespect. Jill Biden and her granddaughter were seated at the back of Westminster Abbey during the event, sparking heated discussions online.
One person commented, “Jill Biden is in the last row!” while another added, “Jill Biden in back row. Love it! Stupid move by Joe snubbing the king, supporting the Markles and encouraging their treacherous actions.”
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was unable to provide a convincing explanation when asked why President Biden was not attending the coronation back in April.
She said, “The president had about a 25-minute, 30-minute call with the King Charles III, during which he congratulated the King — I think we put that out last night — to his upcoming coronation, and they have a very friendly conversation. They have a good relationship with the King. He talked about how he enjoyed meeting — visiting — the Queen, I should say, back in 2021 — he and the first lady, at Windsor. And he hoped to visit again soon.”
Jean-Pierre insisted that the president’s absence was not a snub, stating, “No, they should not see it as a snub. Not at all. Again, the president has a good relationship with the King. They had a friendly conversation, and I will leave it at that. It is not a snub.”
Former President Donald Trump criticized Joe Biden for not attending the coronation of King Charles III, claiming that the UK felt insulted. He wrote on his Truth Social platform, “Joe Biden should have been at the Coronation of King Charles III. Is that really so much to ask? The people of the U.K. are greatly insulted. No wonder we are losing support all over the World. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!”
Trump further speculated in an interview that Biden’s health might be the reason behind his absence, stating:
“Certainly, he should be here as our representative of our country. I was very surprised, I think it’s very disrespectful for him not to be here. I don’t think he can do it physically, actually, I think that it’s hard for him to do it physically. He’s got a lot of things going, a lot of strange things happened.”
However, political analyst Craig Agranoff countered this criticism by pointing out that no sitting US president had ever attended a British coronation. He stated, “It’s worth noting that Trump also did not attend the coronation of King Charles III. In fact, no sitting United States president has ever attended a British coronation. So, while Biden’s decision may not be popular with everyone, it’s not unprecedented.”
Despite this, foreign policy analyst Nile Gardiner, a former aide to British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, expressed disappointment in Biden’s absence.
He tweeted, “Leaders from across the world are attending today’s Coronation of King Charles III. Even the French President is there. Notably absent is Joe Biden, who could not be bothered. What message does this send to America’s closest ally? Biden is a petty, arrogant, sneering disgrace.“
Sources: ConservativeBrief, RadarOnline, NewsWeek