Trump skipping Barbara Bush funeral, instead sending first lady
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump won’t be joining his wife in attending the memorial service of former first lady Barbara Bush. Bush was the matriarch of a political dynasty that Trump often clashed with during his 2016 campaign.
The White House says Trump will not attend “to avoid disruptions due to added security, and out of respect for the Bush Family and friends attending the service.” The president is expected to be at his Florida estate this weekend.
Trump has offered his condolences to the Bush family, calling Barbara Bush “a titan in American life.” Mrs. Bush’s funeral is Saturday in Houston.
Running as a political outsider, Trump often dismissed President George W. Bush’s handling of the Iraq War and mocked former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, his 2016 Republican rival.
