Vice President Kamala Harris’s tribute photo to the late President Jimmy Carter has garnered a lot of attention online, not because of what it contained but rather because of what it omitted.
The picture, which was shared on Harris’ official social media pages over the weekend, depicts her standing next to former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton as well as President Joe Biden. During the funeral service at the Washington National Cathedral, the group is seen putting their hands over their hearts solemnly.
But conspicuously absent from the article? The Obamas were seated next to former President Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, during the funeral service. On social media, the cropped image immediately generated discussion, with many people wondering if the omission was deliberate.
“Our nation was cherished by President Jimmy Carter. Harris wrote, “He served the people, lived his faith, and left the world in a better state than when he found it.” “President Carter’s many contributions will echo for generations to come.”
Although Harris did not mention Trump in her post, Instagram users quickly noticed that he was missing.
One commenter referred to the edit and wrote, “Best photo crop of the decade.”
“As soon as I saw this picture, I started laughing. Another user commented, “I adore a good cropped photo.”
The Carter Center, a nonprofit organization that Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter established in 1982, further fueled the controversy by posting a number of funeral images on X (formerly Twitter) that did not include the Trumps, even though both of them were present at the service.
Given the acrimonious political rivalry between Trump and Harris, the omission has generated discussion about whether it was a simple oversight or a conscious choice. In the 2024 election, Harris faced off against Trump as his third presidential candidate and as Biden’s vice president.
All five of the current former U.S. presidents—Biden, Trump, Clinton, Bush, and Obama—as well as a number of former vice presidents attended the funeral service last Thursday. Mike Pence and incoming Vice President JD Vance were among the notable guests.
Several former first ladies were also in attendance, as were first lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff. One notable absence, though, was Michelle Obama, whose office failed to offer an explanation for her absence.
Although the day’s main goal was to commemorate Jimmy Carter’s legacy, the controversy surrounding Harris’ post has changed the online discourse, demonstrating that politics cannot remain out of the spotlight even during times of unity.
