An interaction, or lack thereof, between First Lady Jill Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris during a Veterans Day event at Arlington National Cemetery sparked a significant amount of social media chatter. The event, held on Tuesday, November 12, saw President Joe Biden lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Virginia.
As Vice President Harris and her husband, Douglas Emhoff, took their seats to the right of the First Lady, online observers noted that Harris seemed to bypass Jill Biden without greeting her. The First Lady, donned in dark sunglasses, was seen looking straight ahead without engaging with Harris.
Conservative commentator Steve Cortes was one of the first to share a clip of the incident online, declaring, “It’s safe to say that Jill Biden hates Kamala Harris’ guts.” His post stirred a wave of online reactions and debates about whether the First Lady’s behavior was deliberate.
Journalist Andy Ngo, also chimed in, describing the First Lady’s expression as “stone-faced” while seated next to Harris. He said, “Harris supporters are already pointing fingers at President Biden for her recent loss.”
Italian journalist Leonardo Panetta also added to the debate, noting that the First Lady “did not get up to greet her and then remained seated next to the Vice President wearing sunglasses without deigning to look at her. Good climate in America.”
The occasion was the first public appearance by President Biden and Vice President Harris following Harris’ recent election loss to Donald Trump. The event sparked numerous reactions on social media, including a comment by right-wing commentator Benny Arthur Johnson, “They’re not taking the loss well.”
Despite the observed tension with Harris, Jill Biden did greet Emhoff warmly, according to eyewitness reports. The noticeable absence of interaction with Harris was a point of interest for many, including Conservative author David Harris Jr., who posited that this could indicate a deeper division within the Democratic Party following the election defeat.
Although Jill Biden has campaigned with Harris in the past, citing their shared personal losses, her reserved demeanor at the Arlington event was a marked departure from earlier displays of solidarity.
The White House has not provided any statements in response to the social media speculations, despite numerous requests for comment from various media outlets.
