Melania Trump inflicts a final snub on the Bidens

We knew Melania Trump was not a fan of the conventions associated with the role of first lady. A few days before her husband’s inauguration, she once again demonstrated it.

Holy Melania. While we still legitimately dare to wonder if the most discreet and fierce former (and future) first lady of the United States will deign to show up at her man’s inauguration, we learn that she will skip a tradition as old as the presidency: tea at the White House, a custom for incoming and outgoing first ladies during the presidential transition.

And it was none other than Jill Biden herself, a good sport, who shared the information in the Washington Poston the occasion of a long portrait dedicated to the future retiree. During the interview, conducted on January 5, the future ex-first lady confided that she had nevertheless extended an invitation to Melania Trump. But this remained a dead letter.

Ignoring conventions

Failing that, Jill Biden therefore sent a written note addressed to Melania directly to her husband, when they met during the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris last December. “I congratulated her and offered my help,” Dr. Biden said of this note.

We won’t know much more, except that Jill was not heard from until last week, during the state funeral of President Jimmy Carter. If the two women spoke briefly around the coffin of the 39th president, the conversation was clearly not enough for Melania to change her mind.

Mind you, she is by far not the only first lady to ignore the ancient traditions of presidential transitions. For her part, Michelle Obama, who already skipped President Carter’s state funeral, announced that she would not attend Donald Trump’s inauguration next week. It’s all about priorities for these first ladies.

A meeting of the Israeli council of ministers is expected today to review the agreement. And unless surprised, validate it.

The Israeli government must give the green light on Thursday to the agreement announced by Qatar and the United States on a ceasefire in Gaza. This after more than 15 months of a war between Israel and Hamas which left tens of thousands dead.