Incoming First Lady Melania Trump is breaking tradition by not meeting with current First Lady Jill Biden before Donald Trump’s inauguration. Typically, outgoing and incoming first ladies meet for tea during the transition, as Michelle Obama did with Melania in 2016. However, Melania has not spoken to Jill Biden since the contentious 2020 election, during which Donald Trump claimed the results were stolen.

Reports suggest Melania plans to take a more limited role as first lady during Trump’s second term, possibly not living full-time at the White House. Meanwhile, tensions remain high after Joe Biden’s Justice Department indicted Donald Trump twice in recent years.

Separately, Kamala Harris’s historic loss in the election has sparked internal Democratic blame. Critics cite her campaign’s failure to connect with voters and poor outreach efforts. Harris campaign staffers expressed frustration with overconfident leadership, while Harris herself acknowledged the loss during an emotional team call. Some blame Joe Biden’s late entry into the race, but others point to mismanagement within Harris’s campaign.