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Barack Obama's funny interaction with George W. Bush about behaving during inauguration fumes Trump supporters

Barack Obama jokingly replied “nope” when a staffer of George W. Bush's staff inquired him if he would behave at Donald Trump's inauguration on Monday.

Updated on: Jan 21, 2025, 15:56:05 IST
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Former US President Barack Obama jokingly replied “nope” when a staff member to George W. Bush inquired him if he would behave at Donald Trump's inauguration on Monday.

Former US President George W. Bush, former first lady Laura Bush and former US President Barack Obama arrive for the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump in the Rotunda of the US Capitol on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. (AFP)
Former US President George W. Bush, former first lady Laura Bush and former US President Barack Obama arrive for the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump in the Rotunda of the US Capitol on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. (AFP)

Obama, 63, arrived at the event alone while grinning and shaking his head since his spouse Michelle Obama chose not to attend. The video clip has become the most recent example of how ex-presidents of rival parties get along with each other in such gatherings.

Trump took the oath of office inside the Capitol Rotunda in presence of all his living predecessors, including Joe Biden, Bill Clinton, Bush, and Obama.

Netizens react to viral Obama clip

The video of the funny interaction went viral on social media, garnering over 8 million views.

Reacting to the video, one X user asked, “Why do they even go if they hate the guy so much?”

“When did Obama and W become besties?” another wondered.

“This is the only man who can beat Trump,” one of Obama admirer said, a fourth user chimed in, “Politics aside, still has the most presidential swag.”

Lip leader weighs in on Obama and Bush conversation

As Bush and Obama were later spotted interacting with each other at Trump's inauguration, a lip reader attempted to decipher what they exactly spoke about.

A deaf TikToker named Jackie Jackie, who regularly shares videos of celebrities lip reading their conversations, revealed what the duo likely said about Trump.

The TikToker shared a video of Obama saying something to Bush, who is standing next to his wife, Laura, for a brief moment.

However, Obama purportedly asked the previous Republican president, “How can we stop what's happening?” in a conversation with Bush. Both the former presidents chuckled.

Obama has harshly condemned Trump, labeling him a menace to democracy, while Bush has remained silent after declining to condemn prior presidents. Trump has also made disparaging remarks about Obama, even claiming that he would only have served one term if he had run for office in 2012.

  • Shweta Kukreti
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Shweta Kukreti

    Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More

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