All five living U.S. presidents attended Jimmy Carter’s funeral at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, a rare occurrence that marks the first time the leaders have gathered publicly since 2018.
President Biden, President-elect Donald Trump and former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton are attending the funeral service.
Mr. Biden delivered a eulogy for the 39th president, who died on Dec. 29 at the age of 100.
President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff, former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former President George W. Bush and wife Laura Bush, former President Barack Obama, President-elect Donald Trump and his wife Melania Trump were at the state funeral.
Mr. Biden and first lady Jill Biden were seated next to Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff in the first row Thursday for the funeral service. Clinton and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton were seated behind them, next to Bush and former first lady Laura Bush, Obama, Trump and former first lady Melania Trump. Obama and Trump could be seen talking and at times smiling before the service began. Former first lady Michelle Obama was not in attendance.
Seated behind the row of presidents and first ladies were also former Vice Presidents Al Gore and Mike Pence, who shook hands with Trump upon their arrival at the service.
Steven Ford, the son of President Gerald Ford, read a tribute from his father during the ceremony, as the late president quipped that “two presidents in a room is one too many” while the five in attendance smiled and laughed.
The five presidents of different parties, some of whom have been political opponents last gathered for the funeral of George H.W. Bush in December 2018. Carter and former first lady Rosalynn Carter were also in attendance.
Eleven presidents have been honored with a state funeral, according to the Congressional Research Service.
Like Carter’s, state funerals often include military honors, lying in state in the Capitol Rotunda, and a memorial service often at the National Cathedral.
Speakers remembered him as a man who put faith, honesty and kindness above politics.
He lived in Plains during his 44 post-White House years, and made it the base of operations for his diplomatic work and charitable efforts.
President Joe Biden said:
“Jimmy Carter’s enduring attribute: character, character, character.”
“Jimmy Carter also established a model post-presidency.”
“Throughout his life, he showed us what it means to be a practitioner of good works and a good and faithful servant of God, and of the people. And today, many think he was from a bygone era, but in reality he saw well into the future.”
“May God bless a great American, a dear friend, and a good man.”
“We have an obligation to give hate no safe harbor, and to stand up to what what my dad used to say is the greatest sin of all: the abuse of power.”
