WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump and his former Vice President Mike Pence briefly greeted each other Thursday at former President Jimmy Carter’s state funeral, marking the first time they’ve been together publicly — and possibly at all — since Trump allegedly welcomed calls by his supporters to kill Pence during the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection.
Trump and Pence were among the former presidents and vice presidents attending the National Cathedral service for Carter, who died on Dec. 29 at the age of 100. Former Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush were there, as was former Vice President Al Gore.
Vice President Kamala Harris sat in the front row with President Joe Biden, who is giving the eulogy.
It was the quickest of interactions. Trump walked in with his wife, Melania, and shook hands with Gore, who stood up to greet him. Pence was seated next to Gore and similarly stood up to shake Trump’s hand. They barely spoke as Pence leaned over and shook Melania’s hand. Pence promptly sat back down.
Pence’s wife, Karen, did not stand up, did not shake either of their hands, and appeared to stare straight ahead the entire time.
A Pence spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether this was the first time the two had seen each other in person since the 2021 Capitol attack.
You can watch their awkward interaction here:
Trump welcomed chants by his supporters calling for Pence to be hanged as the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection was underway, according to former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), who was one of the lead investigators on the former House committee that probed the attack on the Capitol.
During a June 2022 committee hearing, Cheney cited testimony by Trump advisers who recalled the president saying, “Maybe our supporters have the right idea. Mike Pence deserves it.”
Trump’s supporters had built a makeshift gallows outside the Capitol that day. Some were shouting for Pence to be hanged for refusing to stop the certification of Biden’s electoral win.
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Trump claimed in May 2022 he “never said, or thought of saying, ‘Hang Mike Pence.’”