In a rare moment of apparent camaraderie, former President Barack Obama and President-elect Donald Trump were seen sharing a conversation ahead of former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral on Thursday. However, while the two appeared to be smiling and laughing, a professional lip reader who analyzed the interaction revealed that their exchange may have been much more serious than it seemed on the surface.
According to forensic lip reader Jeremy Freeman, Trump, 78, appeared to caution Obama, 63, about speaking openly in the presence of cameras, suggesting they “find a quiet place” later to discuss a “matter of importance.” While it remains unclear exactly what was on the agenda, Freeman’s reading suggests the conversation could have revolved around significant international issues, possibly related to agreements Trump withdrew from during his first term.
One moment during the exchange saw Trump lean toward Obama and mention, “I’ve pulled out of that. It’s the conditions. Can you imagine that?” Freeman speculated this comment could be in reference to Trump’s controversial decision to pull the U.S. out of both the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and the 2016 Paris Climate Agreement, though the exact subject of the discussion remains a mystery.
As the conversation continued, Obama chuckled as Trump added, “and after, I will,” prompting a momentary cut from the camera feed. The two were flanked by former First Lady Laura Bush and Trump’s wife, Melania, but the brief exchange left many curious about its underlying meaning. Freeman’s reading also indicated that Trump told Obama, “Call me at the foy after, yep,” potentially referring to the National Cathedral’s foyer.
Their conversation took a more serious turn when Trump said, “I can’t talk, we have to find a quiet place sometime. This is a matter of importance and we need to do this outside so that we can deal with it, certainly, today,” to which Obama nodded in agreement.
In another part of the conversation, Freeman interpreted Obama as saying, “listen to me, it’s a chore, a chore,” though the context of this comment was unclear. Trump responded, “Yeah, right. I can’t think of anything that’s a chore,” suggesting that the two may have been discussing something that required significant effort or attention.
Despite the more cordial tone of the interaction, the relationship between Trump and Obama has been historically strained. Trump, a leading figure in the “birther” movement that questioned Obama’s birthplace, frequently clashed with his predecessor. The tension continued after the 2016 election when Trump accused Obama of orchestrating a federal surveillance operation against his campaign over alleged ties to Russia.
This latest interaction left many surprised, given their history. While Trump has often made pointed comments about Obama, including his use of the full legal name “Barack Hussein Obama” and mockery of his policies, Obama hasn’t held back in criticizing Trump either, notably mocking his “weird obsession with crowd sizes” and comparing his speeches to those of Fidel Castro.
In a world of sharp political divides and public feuds, the brief but intriguing conversation between Obama and Trump at the funeral raised eyebrows, leaving many to wonder what’s next in the ongoing complex relationship between the two.