Watch: Michelle Obama appears to call out Trump during unveiling of White House portraits

Former First Lady Michelle Obama appeared to take a subtle shot at Donald Trump during the official unveiling of her and her husband's portraits in the White House, after being snubbed by the former president.

"Traditions like this matter," she said. "Not just for those of us who hold these positions, but for everyone participating in and watching our democracy. You see, the people make their voices heard with their vote. We hold an inauguration to ensure a peaceful transition of power."

"Those of us lucky enough to serve work as hard as we can, for as long as we can, as long as the people choose to keep us here, and once our time is up, we move on," she added.

Trump, who is keeping supporters and commentators guessing about whether he intends to run for president again 2024, has continued to falsely claim that the 2020 election was rigged against him. His bogus complaints inspired his followers to attack the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

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Past presidents and first ladies have typically had their portraits hung in the halls and corridors of the White House after ceremonies hosted by successors. Democrat Obama, for example, hosted George W. Bush, a Republican, and his wife Laura Bush at portrait unveilings in 2012.

However, Trump declined to invite the Obamas -- amid undisguised contempt between both leaders in the wake of the Republican's shock 2016 election win -- and the tradition ground to a halt.

The norm-shredding Republican even reportedly ordered portraits of Bush and his predecessor Bill Clinton to be taken down from the walls of the White House's Grand Foyer and put in storage. However, a portrait of Hillary Clinton, the former first lady whom Trump had defeated in the presidential campaign, remained visible in a lower corridor through his tempestuous one term.

As for Trump, the Biden administration says it has no direct say on whether or when his own portrait could be hung up. It is not clear whether the ex-president, now in deep legal peril after the discovery of top secret documents taken from the White House to his Florida golf club, has even commissioned an official painting.

Watch video below.

With additional reporting by AFP

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