Five US presidents - past and present - set aside political differences to pay their final respects to former President Jimmy Carter at his funeral in the Washington National Cathedral. Carter, who died on December 29, 2024, at the age of 100, was remembered for his legacy of public service, humility, and post-presidency humanitarian work.
The event saw outgoing President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden seated alongside former Presidents Barack Obama, George W Bush, Bill Clinton, and their partners. Former president Donald Trump, set to re-enter the Oval Office in ten days, attended the event with his wife, Melania Trump.
The funeral brought together other political leaders, including Vice President Kamala Harris, former Vice President Mike Pence, and their predecessors as well. The atmosphere was marked by moments of solemnity, handshakes, and occasional glances and awkward smiles.
Beautiful moments from the service at Washington National Cathedral this morning honoring former President Jimmy Carter. pic.twitter.com/CwikJWLbjQ
— The Carter Center (@CarterCenter) January 9, 2025
In his eulogy, Biden praised Carter's integrity and his transformative role as a private citizen post-presidency. “To make every minute of our time on earth count, that's the very definition of a good life,” Biden said, as per BBC.
Trump's former Vice President, Mike Pence, shared a polite handshake with Trump despite their fractured relationship following the Capitol riots of January 6, 2021. Pence's decision to certify Biden's presidential victory and his subsequent 2024 presidential bid against Trump strained their ties.
Honored to attend the state funeral for President Jimmy Carter at @WNCathedral today. President Carter served America with distinction in the @USNavy, as Governor of Georgia and President of the United States. @KarenPence and I express our gratitude and deepest sympathies to his… pic.twitter.com/bpqFsjOux7
— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) January 9, 2025
Kamala Harris, who lost to Trump in the 2024 presidential election, maintained a distance, avoiding any formal interaction with Trump. Her husband, Doug Emhoff, however, was seen shaking hands with the former president.
International dignitaries, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres were also among the attendees. Trudeau, who has often been a target of Trump's verbal jabs, appeared stoic, even as Trump referred to him as “Governor Trudeau” in recent weeks.
📸 Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has arrived at the National Cathedral to attend the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter. pic.twitter.com/FV0hDETGYU
— Chris D. Jackson (@ChrisDJackson) January 9, 2025
In a way, former President Gerald Ford was also present, with his son, Steve, delivering a eulogy penned by his late father. The eulogy recalled the special bond between Carter and Ford, saying how the two had made a pact to speak at each other's funerals – a commitment Carter honoured when Ford died in 2006. Ford's eulogy shared, "By fate, for a brief season, Jimmy Carter and I were rivals, but later, it led to the most enduring of friendships."
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