On December 29, 2024, Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States, the 76th governor of Georgia, and recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize for his post-presidential work, died of natural causes at his home in Plains, Georgia, after nearly two years in hospice care. At the age of 100 years, 89 days, Carter was the longest-lived U.S. president in history and the first centenarian president.
Condolences were sent by leaders from around the world, and an extensive funeral schedule was set forth, including a period of Carter lying in state at the United States Capitol, and a national day of mourning and federal holiday declared by President Joe Biden to be held on January 9, 2025, the day of Carter's funeral service.
Background
After several years dealing with various health issues and declining physical ability, particularly being diagnosed with melanoma that metastasized to his brain and liver, the Carter Center announced on February 18, 2023, that Carter was staying at home to "receive hospice care instead of additional medical intervention". Sources noted that hospice care medically means that the patient's life expectancy is no more than six months, and patients in hospice care typically die within several weeks. The following week after the announcement, it was reported that Carter's close family members had come to his home in Plains, Georgia, to spend his final days with him, although local news reported four months later that Carter remained "in great spirits, visiting with family and still enjoying ice cream".
In late August 2023, Carter's grandson Jason Carter provided an update on Carter's health, noting that his grandfather was "in the final chapter" of his life, and in mid-September, Jason further reported that both Carter and former first lady Rosalynn Carter were "coming to the end", though both were well enough to be taken for a drive through the Plains Peanut Festival on September 23. On November 17, 2023, it was announced that his wife Rosalynn would also be entering hospice care. She died two days later, at the age of 96, and Carter attended her funeral. Carter's final public appearance was on October 1, 2024, his 100th birthday, when he viewed a military flyover. However, he did vote for Kamala Harris on October 16.
Carter had been the earliest-serving living former president for 18 years, since the death of Gerald Ford in 2006. In September 2012, he surpassed Herbert Hoover as the president with the longest retirement. Seven years later, on March 22, 2019, he became the nation's longest-lived president, when he surpassed the lifespan of George H. W. Bush, who was 94 years, 171 days of age when Bush died in November 2018; both men were born in 1924. He noted how difficult it felt to reach his nineties, the former president saying in a 2019 interview with People that he never expected to live as long as he had, claiming his secret to a long life was a good marriage.
On December 29, 2024, Carter died at his home in Plains, Georgia. Carter's son, James E. Carter III, said he died at around 3:45 p.m. EST. Carter was the first Democratic president to die since Lyndon B. Johnson, who died in 1973.
Reactions
President Joe Biden stated that "America and the world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian" and in an address from Saint Croix in the United States Virgin Islands, Biden said that Carter was a "remarkable leader". President-elect and former president Donald Trump said Carter "did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans." Former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton paid tribute to Carter, as did former vice president Al Gore. Senator Bernie Sanders, for whom Carter voted during the 2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries, stated that "Jimmy Carter, both for what he did as president and in his later years, will be remembered as a decent, honest and down-to-earth man." Across Georgia's political landscape, his death was also mourned by Governor Brian Kemp, former U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler, the state's congressional delegation and many others by both Republicans and Democrats in Georgia. Delta Air Lines, operating its largest hub in Atlanta, also reacted to Carter's death, lauding his past life.
Internationally, Carter's death was mourned by Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, King Charles III of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms, British prime minister Keir Starmer, Italian president Sergio Mattarella, Cuban president Miguel Díaz-Canel, Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, French president Emmanuel Macron, German chancellor Olaf Scholz, Bangladeshi chief advisor Muhammad Yunus, Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán, Israeli president Isaac Herzog, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Japanese prime minister Shigeru Ishiba, Panamanian president José Raúl Mulino, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Pope Francis, Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese, Chinese president Xi Jinping, Dutch prime minister Dick Schoof, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, European Council president António Costa, Maldivian president Mohamed Muizzu, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, Philippine president Bongbong Marcos, Tanzanian president Samia Suluhu Hassan, and Vietnamese president Lương Cường.
Unlike other reactions, Iranian state television's coverage of Carter's death characterized him as the "architect of economic sanctions" and remarked on his "failure" to "properly deal with Iran". A moment of silence was held for Carter at the United Nations Security Council on December 30.
Initial activities
National mourning
President Biden ordered U.S. flags to be lowered to half-staff for thirty days (until January 28) in accordance with federal law, including at president-elect Donald Trump's inauguration on January 20. Even so, on January 15, House Speaker Mike Johnson announced that the flag would be flown at full-staff at the Capitol on Inauguration Day, and returned to half-staff the following day to continue the thirty day salute to the late President Carter. Following the president's lead, state governors issued executive orders honoring Carter and lowering flags in their states to half-staff, with some states following Speaker Johnson's lead in raising their flags to full-staff on the day of Trump's inauguration. Biden declared a national day of mourning and federal holiday for January 9, the day of Carter's funeral service.
Black mourning drapes were placed over portraits of Carter at Smithsonian Institution facilities, the White House, the Georgia State Capitol, the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park, and other official sites.
Gun salutes and memorial musters
United States Armed Forces installations and ships at sea fired continuous artillery volleys at 30-minute intervals from sunrise to sunset on December 30, as prescribed by military regulation following the death of a former president.
Prayer services and pastoral statements
At Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia, where Carter was a member, a memorial prayer vigil was held on December 30. Rear Admiral Margaret Kibben, the chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives, led the chamber in prayer for Carter on December 31. The First Baptist Church of the City of Washington, D.C.—where Carter taught Sunday school during his presidency—announced plans for a prayer service in Carter's memory.
The Council of Bishops of the United Methodist Church enacted a resolution recalling Carter as a "devoted Christian who embodied Jesus' teachings". The First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released a statement declaring that Carter "embraced the Savior's admonition" and noting it would pray "that the Carter family may feel comfort and peace". On behalf of Pope Francis, the Secretary of the Apostolic See, Pietro Parolin, announced that "the Holy Father commends him [Carter] to the infinite mercies of almighty God and prays for the consolation of all who mourn his loss".
Memorial service and state funeral
Stage one: Carter Presidential Center
On the morning of January 4, 2025, Carter's remains were taken by motorcade to Atlanta from Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, Georgia. The motorcade traveled to the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park in Plains and stopped at the house Carter and his wife Rosalynn built and inhabited since 1962. It then proceeded to his boyhood home in nearby Archery, where the National Park Service saluted him, and the farm's bell rang 39 times in recognition of him being the 39th U.S. President. It then made its way to Atlanta, where his service as governor of Georgia was honored at the Georgia State Capitol with a salute by the Georgia State Patrol and a moment of silence led by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, and members of the Georgia General Assembly.
Carter's remains were then taken to the Carter Center, where his casket was received with ceremony by military pallbearers. The ceremony included a performance, "Battle Hymn of the Republic" by the Morehouse College Glee Club, and remarks by Carter's son Chip and grandson Jason. It also included the governor, mayor, Carter Center CEO, and the library director jointly laying two wreaths. He lay in repose at the Carter Center from January 4 to 7.
Stage two: Washington
Return to Washington and funeral procession
On January 7, Carter's remains were taken from the Carter Center to Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta, and were then flown to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. Air transport of Carter's remains occurred aboard a VC-25, tail number 29000, of the United States Air Force's 89th Airlift Wing operating under the call sign "Special Air Mission 39". Upon arrival there, Carter's remains were given a 21-gun salute while "Hail to the Chief" played.
The remains were then taken by motorcade to the United States Navy Memorial, where the casket was transferred to a horse-drawn caisson for a funeral procession to the United States Capitol along part of the route Carter took during his 1977 inaugural parade. The transfer site honored Carter's place as the only United States Naval Academy graduate to become commander in chief.
Capitol Hill events
Upon arrival at the Capitol, another 21-gun salute was given by the Presidential Salute Battery. Members of the honor guard then carried the flag-draped casket up the Capitol steps and into the Capitol rotunda. Inside, the U.S. Army Brass Quintet performed music, such as Simon and Garfunkel's "Bridge over Troubled Water". A service attended by Vice President Kamala Harris, members of Congress, the Supreme Court, Governors, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, the Cabinet, the Diplomatic Corps, and the Joint Chiefs was conducted for Carter.
The opening invocation for the ceremony was delivered by the Chaplain of the U.S. Senate, Barry Black. Vice President Harris, Senate majority leader John Thune, and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson eulogized Carter. Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer joined Thune and House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries joined Johnson in laying wreaths from each chamber of Congress. Vice President Harris was joined by the Second Gentleman, Doug Emhoff, in laying a wreath. The closing benediction was delivered by the Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives, Margaret G. Kibben. The Naval Academy Glee Club also performed "My Country, 'Tis of Thee", "Eternal Father, Strong to Save" (the Navy Hymn). He lay in state in the Capitol rotunda on the Lincoln catafalque from January 7 to 9.
Washington National Cathedral funeral service
Washington National Cathedral hosted the state funeral service on January 9, 2025, which was officiated by the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, Sean Rowe, along with the Bishop of Washington, Mariann Budde, and the dean of the cathedral, Randolph Hollerith.