First lady Jill Biden and her granddaughter Finnegan Biden attended the coronation of King Charles III — held at Westminster Abbey on Saturday — but, sticking with American tradition, President Biden himself did not attend.
As New York Post points out, "In the 247 years since America declared its independence from the crown, no U.S. president has attended the coronation of a British monarch," and yet former president Trump called out Biden's absence as an insult to the crown, and the U.K. as a whole, for reasons known only to him.
"Joe Biden should have been at the Coronation of King Charles III," Trump wrote in an early morning Truth Social rant. "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!!!"
"It is not a snub," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a quote obtained from Time regarding Biden skipping the coronation. Her statement on the matter was given a month prior to the event, so it should have come as no surprise.
Back in April, President Biden had a 25-minute phone call with King Charles, during which time he informed him that the first lady would be attending the coronation in his place. Per reporting by Time, the king extended an invitation for Biden to visit the U.K. at a later date for a formal state visit. Biden accepted that invitation.
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Ahead of Saturday's royal event — the first crowning of a new British monarch in 70 years — the first lady met with Kate, Princess of Wales, during a reception for heads of state held at Buckingham Palace.
"It's an honor to represent the United States for this historic moment and celebrate the special relationship between our countries," she said in a statement leading up to the coronation.
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