Donald Trump visits golf club as Melania joins ex-presidents at Barbara Bush funeral

One person was conspicuously absent as Melania Trump posed alongside four past US presidents and three former first ladies at Barbara Bush’s funeral.

Newly released pictures show Mrs Trump attending the service in Houston with Barack and Michelle Obama, Bill and Hillary Clinton, George and Laura Bush and widower George Bush.

But the president was not among the 1,500 mourners. Instead, he spent the day visiting a golf club at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida.

He wrapped up his six-day visit to the Sunshine State by posing with motorcycle officers from Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office in front of the presidential plane. His decision to stay away from Saturday’s funeral, after Mrs Bush’s death last Tuesday at 92, caused outrage on social media.

Mrs Trump was seated next to Mr Obama at the service. At one point they shared a warm exchange, prompting one person to tweet: “Add ‘make Melania smile’ to the long list of things Obama can do that Trump can’t.”

The White House said he had decided not to attend the funeral “to avoid disruptions due to added security, and out of respect for the Bush family and friends”.

Mr Trump has had a difficult relationship with the Bush family, in particular clashing with Jeb, brother of George W Bush, when they were running for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016.

Mr Trump and the First Lady were at the White House today to greet French president Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte, who are making the first state visit of Mr Trump’s presidency.

Last July, the Trumps and Macrons dined at Le Jules Verne restaurant at the Eiffel Tower. Tonight they will eat at George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate on the banks of the Potomac river. The estate was visited by Prince Charles and Camilla in 2015.

Speaking to Fox News ahead of the visit, Mr Macron urged his US counterpart to stick with the Iran nuclear deal.

Mr Trump has threatened to abandon the deal, which limits Tehran’s nuclear ambitions in return for an easing of sanctions, saying it is not tough enough. But Mr Macron insisted it was the best option on the table: “Let’s present this framework because it’s better than the sort of North Korean-type situation.”

He also appealed to the US not to pull troops out of Syria after the defeat of Islamic State, because that would “leave the floor” to Bashar Assad and Iran.

He said he has a “very strong personal relationship” with Mr Trump and the long handshake when they met last year in Paris was not a contest of wills: “It was a very natural moment, I have to say, and a very friendly moment. Don’t worry.”

Tomorrow the pair will attend a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. On Wednesday Mr Macron will address Congress.