--- ---  # George H.W. Bush Explains Why He’s Not Attending Donald Trump’s Inauguration by [Sarah Begley](https://time.com/author/sarah-begley/) ## Sarah Begley Jan 18, 2017 5:36 PM UTC  Former President George H.W. Bush is interviewed for 'The Presidents' Gatekeepers' project about the White House Chiefs of Staff at the Bush Library, October 24, 2011, in College Station, Texas. Former President George H.W. Bush is interviewed for 'The Presidents' Gatekeepers' project about the White House Chiefs of Staff at the Bush Library, October 24, 2011, in College Station, Texas.David Hume Kennerly—Getty Images by [Sarah Begley](https://time.com/author/sarah-begley/) ## Sarah Begley Jan 18, 2017 5:36 PM UTC [George H.W. Bush](http://time.com/4564428/donald-trump-george-hw-jeb-bush/) will not be attending [Donald Trump’s inauguration](http://time.com/money/4637694/trump-inauguration-costs-obama-bush-performers/), saying it’s because of a doctor’s recommendation. The [41st president of the United States](http://time.com/2854415/george-h-w-bush-turns-90/) wrote to the president-elect explaining why he will be absent. “Barbara and I are so sorry we can’t be there for our Inauguration on January 20th,” he wrote in the letter Jan. 10\. “My doctor says if I sit outside in January, it will likely put me six feet under. Same for Barbara. So I guess we’re stuck in Texas.” Bush has suffered from various health problems in recent years, and has been [hospitalized](http://edition.cnn.com/2017/01/18/politics/george-h-w-bush-hospitalized/index.html) for “shortness of breath” since Saturday. “But we will be with you and the country in spirit,” he wrote to Trump in the letter. “I want you to know that I wish you the very best as you begin this incredible journey of leading out great country. If I can ever be of help, please let me know.” Bush’s spokesman [confirmed](https://twitter.com/jgm41/status/821756797920931841) the letter’s authenticity on Twitter. George H.W. Bush Explains Why He Won't Be at Inauguration ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4637887/george-hw-bush-donald-trump-inauguration-letter/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4637887/george-hw-bush-donald-trump-inauguration-letter/"},"headline":"George H.W. Bush Explains Why He’s Not Attending Donald Trump’s Inauguration","datePublished":"2017-01-18T17:36:26.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-23T02:47:17.362Z","description":"\"My doctor says if I sit outside in January, it will likely put me six feet under\"","url":"https://time.com/4637887/george-hw-bush-donald-trump-inauguration-letter/","keywords":["White House"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltfb2345bfe800af65/6988b5f197cdff4cca6af233/hw-bush.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Sarah Begley","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/sarah-begley/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltfb2345bfe800af65/6988b5f197cdff4cca6af233/hw-bush.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"President George H.W. Bush Interviewed for \"The Presidents' Gatekeepers\"","caption":"President George H.W. Bush Interviewed for \"The Presidents' Gatekeepers\"","creditText":"David Hume Kennerly—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/white-house/","name":"White House"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4637887/george-hw-bush-donald-trump-inauguration-letter/","name":"George H.W. Bush Explains Why He’s Not Attending Donald Trump’s Inauguration"}}]}] ```