In a surprising twist, President-elect Donald Trump revealed that he and former President Barack Obama “probably do” like each other, despite their differing political views. The two were seen chatting and laughing together in a viral clip from former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, January 9.
Speaking from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, Trump, 78, admitted that he hadn’t initially realized how friendly he and Obama, 63, appeared in the footage. “I saw the video and I thought, ‘Boy, they look like two people that like each other.’ And we probably do,” he said during a C-Span2 broadcast. “We have a little different philosophies, right? But we probably do. I don’t know. We just got along. But I got along with just about everyone.”
Although Trump didn’t delve into the specifics of what the two discussed, forensic lip reader Jeremy Freeman speculated that their conversation might have focused on international matters. Freeman pointed out that both men were likely aware of the cameras capturing their exchange and were deliberately appearing cordial, despite the possibility of more serious topics being discussed behind closed doors.
Their moment of camaraderie comes after years of public tension. Trump rose to political prominence in part due to his role in the “birther” movement, which questioned whether Obama, a native of Hawaii, was born in the U.S. or in Kenya. The controversy led Obama to release a long-form birth certificate in 2011 to put the rumors to rest. Additionally, after the 2016 election, Trump accused Obama of ordering federal authorities to “spy” on his campaign over alleged ties to Russia, deepening the rift between the two.
While Trump has not hesitated to criticize Obama, the former president has also taken jabs at Trump over the years. Notably, Obama mocked Trump’s “weird obsession with crowd sizes” during the 2017 inauguration, making a cheeky gesture with his hands to emphasize the point. Obama also criticized Trump’s lengthy speeches, comparing them to those of Fidel Castro and referencing his “constant attempts to sell you stuff,” such as his golden sneakers and branded Bibles.
Despite the past tension, this unexpected interaction between Trump and Obama at the funeral left many speculating about the true nature of their relationship. With both men now moving into new phases of their political careers, it seems that, despite their differences, they might have found some common ground—at least for one brief moment.
It remains to be seen whether this public display of cordiality marks a turning point in their relationship or is simply a moment of politeness for the cameras. Nonetheless, their exchange shows that even the most politically divided figures can sometimes find common ground in a shared respect, however fleeting.
