Karen Pence, the wife of former Vice President Mike Pence, drew significant backlash on Thursday after she refused to shake hands with Melania Trump at the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter. This incident occurred as the Trumps made their first major public appearance since Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election, arriving at the Washington National Cathedral. Rather than offering a handshake, Karen Pence turned away, a move that many interpreted as a deliberate snub.
Melania Trump, however, appeared unfazed by the rejection, responding with a polite smile. The tension between the Pences and the Trumps has been a longstanding issue, particularly since the fallout from the 2020 election. Mike Pence’s refusal to block the certification of the Electoral College results, as Trump had requested, led to a dramatic break in their relationship. The Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, further soured their bond, with Trump’s condemnation of the violence and his supporters’ chants against Pence only deepening the rift.
Since then, Mike Pence has distanced himself from Trump, criticizing his actions during the Capitol breach and signaling his departure from Trump’s influence in the Republican Party. As clips of the handshaking incident spread on social media, public reactions were swift and overwhelmingly negative toward Karen Pence, with many accusing her of being petty and vindictive.
Social media users quickly jumped in to voice their opinions, with some calling out her behavior as “classless” and others pointing to her as a symbol of the larger political tensions. Comments included critiques of her character and speculation about the motivations behind her refusal, with one user remarking that it was unnecessary, especially for someone who had once held such a prominent position.
The incident sparked a mix of sarcastic and critical responses, with some users focusing on her name, while others suggested that Karen Pence’s actions were driven by the broader political fallout from the 2020 election and the events surrounding January 6.
