Trump was invited to Bush’s funeral because he reportedly didn’t want to ‘stiff’ a sitting POTUS

The private-only state funeral for late former US President George G.W. will be held on December 5 at the Washington National Cathedral, and current President Donald Trump and the First Lady will be in attendance.

Even when late George G.W. Bush, who passed away on November 30 at 94 years old, didn’t exactly see eye to eye with the 72-year-old present US head of state Donald Trump, the latter was invited to his predecessor’s funeral.

According to CNN, the Bush family wanted to put their antipathy for Trump behind as a gesture of respect for the presidential institution, with the late former president making clear that he wanted it that way in the event of his death.

A presidential historian who was also a personal acquaintance of Bush talked to People about the reasons for this. Read more on our Twitter account @amomama_usa

History professor and author Douglas Brinkley, from the Rice University, suggests that Bush included Trump among the guest list for his eventual funeral to not “stiff a sitting president.”

“For Bush 41, Trump is the president, and he does not want to stiff a sitting president, so in his own way, it is magnanimous that he is having Melania and Donald Trump come.”

-Douglas Brinkley, People, December 2, 2018.

Beyond being a mere formality, for Brinkley, this can have a positive effect on Trump. “In its own way, it may normalize the estrangement Trump feels from the so-called establishment that Bush personified,” Brinkley said.

“President George H.W. Bush led a long, successful and beautiful life,” tweeted Trump in response to the news of the 41st. US President’s death.

It will be the first time in more than 10 years when Washington D.C. will host a state funeral for a former president, and a “national day of mourning” has been declared by Trump.

“His accomplishments were great from beginning to end. He was a truly wonderful man and will be missed by all!” added Trump, in a conciliatory and respectful message.

While First Lady Melania Trump did attend Barbara Bush’s funeral back in April, President Trump was not there, allegedly “to avoid disruptions due to added security, and out of respect for the Bush family and friends attending the service.”

But Brinkley said that, in fact, the real reason for Trump’s absence in the former First Lady’s service was because of Mrs. Bush dislike of the current president’s “cruder aspects.”

A COLORFUL DETAIL

It will be the first time in more than 10 years when Washington D.C. will host a state funeral for a former president, and a “national day of mourning” has been declared by Trump.

Even though a former US president’s funeral is largely influenced by tradition and in observance of solemn ceremonies, there is one detail that will surely make a difference between Bush’s funeral and all those that took place before.

It has surfaced that the former president’s body will be buried dressed in a special pair of socks.

Bush’s spokesman Jim McGrath shared the picture of the US Navy-Aviation-themed colorful socks that will be on the late politician in his final resting place.

Following Bush’s need of a wheelchair because of his suffering from Parkinson’s disease since 2007, the former president’s socks were always visible, so he became known for his colorful socks.

That is why this meaningful detail will honor both Bush’s service to his country but his sense of humor and human qualities.