Remembering former President Jimmy Carter

Our live coverage has ended. Read more about Jimmy Carter’s death and legacy or read through the posts below. The former president’s funeral plans can be found here.

Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States, died Sunday at the age of 100.

Carter had been in home hospice care since February 2023. He became the oldest living US president in history after George H.W. Bush died in 2018 at the age of 94.

See how people around the world have reacted to his death:

Denise Bomberger, a volunteer with The Carter Presidential Center, organizes mementos left by mourners paying tribute to Carter's life and legacy in Atlanta on December 30.

A person walks past flags flying at half-staff at the Washington Monument on the National Mall on Monday.

The Empire State Building in New York is illuminated in red, white and blue to mark Carter's death on Sunday.

The Atlanta Falcons and the Washington Commanders observe a moment of silence for Carter prior to their game on Sunday at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland.

People visit a bust of Carter at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum on Sunday in Atlanta.

A US flag flies at half-staff for Carter at US Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, on Monday.

Candles flicker on the altar as attendees sit during a silent vigil to honor former President Jimmy Carter at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia, on Monday.

People gathered on Monday evening to mourn the loss of former President Jimmy Carter during a vigil at Maranatha Baptist Church in his hometown of Plains, Georgia.

As music played throughout the somber sanctuary, people ushered in to light candles and silently prayed to pay their respects to the former president. Pastor Ashley Guthas consoled many who were grieving as she sat with them during the two-hour service.

Carter was a longtime churchgoer of Maranatha Baptist Church and served as a Sunday school teacher for several decades.

The official state funeral schedule for former President Jimmy Carter has been released.

January 4: The state funeral begins on Saturday morning with the arrival of the Carter Family at the Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Plains, Georgia, after which his motorcade will travel through Plains. His remains will then travel to the Carter Center in Atlanta to lie in repose through Monday, January 6.

January 7: Carter will depart the Carter Presidential Center one last time with ceremony at 9:30 a.m. His family will then travel to Washington, DC, via Special Air Mission 39, which will first arrive at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland where Carter’s remains will be transferred with ceremony to the hearse. Carter and his family will then travel by motorcade at 1:15 p.m. to the US Navy Memorial where his remains will be transferred from the hearse to a horse drawn caisson for a funeral procession up to the US Capitol at 2 p.m. Military body bearers will carry Carter into the Rotunda where members of Congress will pay their respects during a service at 3 p.m. Carter will then lie in state while the military maintains a guard of honor. The public is invited to pay their respects as he lies in state from 7 p.m. to midnight. The late president will lie in state at the US Capitol Rotunda on January 7 and 8.

January 9: The National Funeral Service will occur at the Washington National Cathedral on January 9 at 10 a.m. Then Carter will then be transported back to Plains for a private internment at the family residence that evening. The public is invited to line the motorcade route as Carter and his family travel through his beloved hometown of Plains, Georgia, to the late president’s final resting place.

The dome of the US Capitol Building is visible as flags are lowered to half-staff at the Washington Monument following the death of former President Jimmy Carter on December 30 in Washington, DC.

Congressional leadership announced Monday that former President Jimmy Carter will lie in state at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, from January 7 to January 9.

“The Capitol will be open to the public during designated times for those who wish to pay their respects to President Carter,” Congressional leadership wrote in a letter to Carter’s son, James Carter III, and the Carter Center.

The letter was signed by House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader-elect John Thune, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

Former President Jimmy Carter in his home in Plains, Georgia, on September 30, 2017.

The official state funeral in Washington, DC for former President Jimmy Carter will be held on January 9, the White House confirmed Monday.

President Joe Biden declared January 9 as a National Day of Mourning in a proclamation on Sunday, hours after Carter’s passing at the age of 100.

Biden will deliver a eulogy at the funeral service of Carter, a White House official said Monday, a marquee moment for Biden to pay tribute to his longtime friend at the Washington National Cathedral in the waning days of his own presidency.

“President Carter exemplified what it means to translate faith into action,” the Washington National Cathedral wrote in a statement. “From his selflessness and humanitarian spirit, we draw inspiration. And from his example of fidelity and generous faith, we find hope that we might yet learn to embody his example of good and faithful service.”

It’s a speech Biden has long been planning to give. He told donors last year that Carter asked him to deliver the eulogy.

Public observances honoring Carter’s legacy will be held in Atlanta and Washington, DC, followed by a private interment in Carter’s hometown of Plains, Georgia, according to The Carter Center, though final arrangements are still underway.

The Joint Task Force-National Capital Region in the Department of Defense will ultimately conduct the ceremonies.

Read more about the funeral plans for the former president.

Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States, speaks in Elk City, Oklahoma, in 1979.

Jimmy Carter, a peanut farmer from Plains, Georgia, who also served in the US Navy, was president from 1977 to 1981.

Championing human rights at the center of US foreign policy, Carter forged a still-standing peace treaty between Egypt and Israel. He also established the Department of Energy in 1977.

Shortly after, Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, established The Carter Center, which has monitored international elections and promoted public health across the world.

See photos of his life and legacy:

Carter graduated from the US Naval Academy on June 5, 1946, after completing the accelerated wartime program.

Carter shovels peanuts in the 1970s. Carter was the son of a peanut farmer, and he took over the family business in 1953 before his political career took off.

Carter embraces his wife after receiving news of his election victory on November 2, 1976. Carter received 297 electoral votes, while Ford received 241.

Carter holds a meeting with members of his cabinet in the White House in March 1978.

The Carters wear glittering garlands and a turban given to them by Pakistani tribesmen at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in November 1986. They also received a pair of rams.

Carter works at a construction site sponsored by the Jimmy Carter Work Project in Asan, South Korea, in 2001. The Carters have been involved with the nonprofit Habitat for Humanity since 1984.

Carter and his wife arrive for the inauguration of Donald Trump in January 2017.

Carter greets visitors before teaching a Sunday school class at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia, in April 2018.

President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the passing of former President Jimmy Carter in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands, on December 29.

President Joe Biden will deliver a eulogy at the funeral service of former President Jimmy Carter, a White House official said Monday, a marquee moment for Biden to pay tribute to his longtime friend at the Washington National Cathedral in the waning days of his own presidency.

Biden will join others in sending off the former president on a national day of mourning on January 9.

It’s a speech Biden has long been planning to give. He told donors last year that Carter asked him to deliver the eulogy.

Carter with his grandson Hugo Wentzel.

Jimmy Carter was remembered as a selfless person and incredible grandfather by one of his grandsons, who shared a tribute to him on social media following his death on Sunday.

Hugo Wentzel, one of Carter’s 11 grandchildren, described the former president as “an absolutely incredible person” in a post on Instagram on Monday.

Wentzel says the 39th president taught him how to fly fish, hunt, cook and even chop down Christmas trees. “I remember in middle school he would come with the entire secret service just to spend time with me,” he added.

Hugo Wentzel and Carter during a fishing trip.

Wentzel’s mother is Amy Carter, daughter of Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter.

“He was an incredible governor, president, business owner, and most importantly family man,” Wentzel shared. “I love you so much papa. Thank you so much for everything I will do everything to keep your legacy alive.”

President Jimmy Carter’s earnest desire to protect international human rights led him to meet with some of the most controversial leaders in the world, presidential historian Douglas Brinkley said Monday.

Carter’s freewheeling talks with North Korean leader Kim Il Sung regarding the country’s nuclear development in 1994 caused some headaches for then-President Clinton when Carter told CNN some details of his discussions with Kim before first debriefing the US government.

“We need to have the North Koreans confirm directly and officially to us that they stand behind the commitments and proposals they made to you,” Clinton was asked to tell Carter in a phone call, according to briefing notes declassified in 2013.

As part of the research for his biography “The Unfinished Presidency,” Brinkley reviewed private notes and correspondence from Carter’s personal files.

“Many were written to all sorts of unsavory characters around the world asking for the release of political prisoners,” Brinkley said.

Carter returned to North Korea in 2010 to secure the release of Aijalon Mahli Gomes, an American who was accused of illegally entering the country. Carter offered to return to North Korea again at the age of 94 in an effort to broker peace on the Korean Peninsula.

The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq announced plans Monday to shut down on January 9 as part of a National Day of Mourning to honor former President Jimmy Carter.

NYSE said the closure will apply to all of its stock and options markets on January 9, the day of Carter’s official state funeral in Washington, DC.

The announcement follows the tradition of US stock markets closing in the wake of the death of a US president. US markets similarly closed in November 2018 following the death of former President George H. W. Bush.

Carter, the 39th US president, died in Georgia on Sunday at the age of 100.

Nasdaq President Tal Cohen praised Carter as an “exemplary leader” whose “contributions will be felt by those around the world for years to come.”

Both the NYSE and Nasdaq observed a moment of silence at 9:20 a.m. ET on Monday.

SIFMA, a financial trade group, on Monday recommended an early market close at 2 p.m. ET on January 9 for all fixed-income cash markets in honor of the National Day of Mourning. SIFMA said the recommendation applies to all US government bond markets and trading in corporate bonds.

Most of the attention given to former President Jimmy Carter’s domestic record has focused on US economic problems during his one term — high inflation that was worse than the recent price spikes.

But he helped to reshape the US economy more than most presidents, leading to important changes that made it far more competitive.

His administration pursued the antitrust case vs AT&T which led to its break-up early in his successor Ronald Reagan’s administration. That, and the deregulation of telecommunications that followed in the 1990s, helped to lead to technological advances for the US economy, including personal computers and the Internet.

And he passed and signed bills to deregulate both the US airline and trucking industries, which significantly lowered the cost of moving both people and goods, also making the US economy far more competitive.

But most of the effects of those policies weren’t felt during his one term in office, and thus, most people don’t associate them with Carter.

Former President Jimmy Carter had several memorable speeches as president — and after he left the White House. Watch some of them below:

Egyptian President Anwar al-Sadat shakes hands with Israel Prime Minister Menachem Begin with President Jimmy Carter at Camp David in Maryland on September 6, 1978.

Jimmy Carter was widely revered for championing human rights during and after his presidency. He served one term as governor of Georgia and president of the United States from 1977 to 1981.

Here is a look at some key moments in his life:

Read more about Carter’s life.

Chinese President Hu Jintao, right, speaks with former US President James Carter, right during a meeting at the Great Hall of the People on January 12, 2009 in Beijing, China. Carter visited Beijing to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of US-China diplomatic relations.

Former US President Jimmy Carter is remembered in China for bringing an end to decades of hostility and establishing diplomatic relations with Beijing – at the expense of Taiwan.

The diplomatic switch in 1979 led to profound changes in US-China relations in the following decades that are still being felt today.

During the height of the Cold War, the Carter administration held months of secret negotiations with Chinese officials to normalize relations, which had been estranged since the Chinese Communist Party took power in 1949.

For decades, Washington had recognized the Republic of China in Taipei as the government of China, after the Kuomintang was defeated by the Communists in the civil war and fled from the Chinese mainland to Taiwan.

A rapprochement with the People’s Republic of China began during the presidency of Richard Nixon, who made an ice-breaking visit to Beijing in 1972. But it was Carter who oversaw Washington’s formal switch of diplomatic recognition.

Celebrated in Beijing, the switch came as a shock to many in Taiwan – even leading to violent anti-American protests in Taipei. The US also ended its mutual defense treaty with Taiwan and pulled its military personnel from the island.

In January 1979, Carter welcomed Deng Xiaoping to the White House – the first US visit by a Chinese Communist leader.

Read more about how Carter shaped the US legacy in China and Taiwan.

The Capitol is illuminated in Washington, DC, on December 19.

The first few days of January are set to be an incredibly busy time on Capitol Hill with leadership elections, the certification of the election on January 6, nomination hearings and the inauguration of a new president which has all become even more complicated by the expected services to remember former President Jimmy Carter.

On January 3rd, per the constitution, the House and Senate will convene to swear in members of the new Congress and elect a new Speaker of the House. The Senate has already elected their leadership. With the narrow majority in the House and several GOP hardliners already raising concerns with Speaker Mike Johnson’s leadership strategy, the speaker nomination process could drag out.

On Monday, January 6, heightened security is expected around the Capitol for the certification of the election — the fourth anniversary of the attack on the Capitol. It is unclear how Capitol Police and Secret Service will handle Carter’s lying in state and public access to his viewing amid these heightened concerns.

US President Joe Biden declared January 9, as a national day of mourning for Carter. The White House confirmed Monday that Carter’s official state funeral in Washington, DC, will also be held on January 9.

Then on January 20, President-elect Donald Trump will be inaugurated and, ahead of that, nomination hearings will begin on his picks for key cabinet positions.

In just the month of January, there will be three distinct national security events with Carter’s lying in state, the counting and certification of the electoral results and the inauguration.

Discussions are ongoing amongst House and Senate leaders around the timing of the lying in state for Carter, according to a source familiar with the conversations, but per past protocol, the date could be right around January 6.

Pope Francis looks on during the weekly general audience on October 23 at St Peter's square in The Vatican.

Pope Francis was “saddened” to hear of the death of former US President Jimmy Carter, a statement released by the Holy See’s press office said on Monday.

“The Holy Father commends him to the infinite mercies of Almighty God and prays for the consolation of all who mourn his loss,” the statement said.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken testifies before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on December 11 in Washington, DC.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has praised late President Jimmy Carter for his “integrity, compassion” and “commitment to advancing the freedom, security and welfare of others” particularly in areas of foreign policy.

He said that Carter was a pioneer in demonstrating how “tireless, principled diplomacy” could help forge peace between nations at war, citing a landmark deal Carter made mediating conflict between Israel and Egypt.

“His efforts are an important reminder of what’s possible, especially amidst renewed conflict and suffering in the region,” Blinken said late on Sunday night.

Blinken also praised Carter for his efforts in advancing peace and human rights through the Carter Center, which helps promote democracy around the world.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz addresses the lower house of Parliament in Berlin on December 16.

Here’s how some world leaders are reacting to the death of former President Jimmy Carter:

Britain’s King Charles III: “It was with great sadness that I learned of the death of former President Carter. He was a committed public servant, and devoted his life to promoting peace and human rights. His dedication and humility served as an inspiration to many, and I remember with great fondness his visit to the United Kingdom in 1977.”

Israeli President Isaac Herzog: “In recent years I had the pleasure of calling [Carter] and thanking him for his historic efforts to bring together two great leaders, Begin and Sadat, and forging a peace between Israel and Egypt that remains an anchor of stability throughout the Middle East and North Africa many decades later. His legacy will be defined by his deep commitment to forging peace between nations.”

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba: “President Jimmy Carter achieved historic accomplishments through his tireless efforts not only during his presidency but throughout his life in peace diplomacy, for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. I renew my deep respect for President Carter, who contributed significantly to strengthening the amicable Japan-US relations and to maintaining peace and stability in the international community.”

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz: “We join our American friends in mourning the loss of their former President Jimmy Carter. The US has lost a committed fighter for democracy. The world has lost a great mediator for peace in the Middle East and for human rights.”

Read more reactions from around the globe.

Flags fly at half-staff at the Washington Monument on the National Mall on December 30.

The official state funeral in Washington, DC, for former President Jimmy Carter will be held on January 9, the White House confirmed Monday.

President Joe Biden declared January 9 as a national day of mourning in a proclamation on Sunday, hours after Carter’s passing at the age of 100.

Biden was already scheduled to travel to Rome, Italy, on January 9. It’s not clear if this will impact his travel plans.

Other upcoming events: Public observances honoring Carter’s legacy will be held in Atlanta and Washington, DC, followed by a private interment in Carter’s hometown of Plains, Georgia, according to The Carter Center, though final arrangements are still underway.

The Joint Task Force — National Capital Region in the Department of Defense will ultimately conduct the ceremonies.