Two first ladies shared a stage when Melania Trump unveiled a giant-sized stamp featuring a portrait of the late Barbara Bush at the White House on Thursday.
The current first lady announced that the matron of the Bush political dynasty would be featured on specialty US Postal Service stamps in the East Room, surrounded by members of Bush’s family and loved ones.
“While she is known for championing literacy, she also supported women’s empowerment, changed the national conversation on AIDS, and took a stand supporting gay rights,” Melania told the audience gathered for the unveiling ceremony.
Dorothy “Doro” Bush Koch, Bush’s youngest child, teared up as she delivered a speech honoring her mother on behalf of the Bush family.
Yet the late first lady’s son, former President George W. Bush, and daughter-in-law Laura Bush, who have distanced themselves from Trump during the president’s meteoric rise, did not attend.
President Trump also did not appear to show up.
It’s unclear why the president didn’t attend, but during the rancorous 2016 Republican nomination for president, Trump and Jeb Bush, then-governor of Florida and Barbara’s son, exchanged a number of pointed barbs on the campaign trail.
“I’ve made a lot of money by analyzing people because deals aren’t deals. Deals are people. Even if it’s a hard asset, it’s still about people because you have to know what you’re dealing with,” Trump said. “I think Jeb is a nice person. But Jeb is not going to be a person who is going to make America great again.”
The president didn’t have many things to say about Barbara’s firstborn, George W. Bush, either.
“He just didn’t seem smart. Does that make sense to you?” Trump said of W. “He didn’t seem smart. I’d watch him in interviews and I’d look at people and ask, ‘Do you think he understands the question?’ I mean, he didn’t seem like he had it.”
However, there was no sign of that bitter family feud playing out during the stamp ceremony.
“I applaud Mrs. Bush’s mark defending our society’s vital need for women across all avenues, whether CEO or homemaker,” Melania said.
Barbara Bush died on April 17, 2018. She was followed by her husband, who died just a few months later, on Nov. 30, 2018.
She was born Barbara Pierce and was a descendant of the 14th President Franklin Pierce.
