Former US President Jimmy Carter’s body lies in state after solemn Washington procession
The body of former United States President Jimmy Carter was transferred to the US Capitol on Tuesday in a grand and solemn military ceremony, where it will lie in state until a national funeral later this week.
Carter, who passed away on December 29, 2024, at 100, served as the 39th president from 1977 to 1981. He was widely celebrated for his post-presidential humanitarian efforts, which earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.
His body arrived at the snow-dusted Capitol following a ceremonious journey from his hometown of Plains, Georgia. Hundreds gathered as Carter’s flag-draped casket was carried atop a gun carriage during a funeral procession down Pennsylvania Avenue, retracing the opposite route he took during his 1977 inauguration parade.
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A live feed from PBS captured members of the public entering the Capitol Rotunda to pay their respects, with many pausing in silent reflection.
“I paid my respects to President Jimmy Carter as he lies in state in the US Capitol Rotunda today,” US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin posted on X (formerly Twitter). “On behalf of the entire Department of Defense, we join the Carter family and all Americans in celebrating this extraordinary life, legacy, and service to our nation.”
Carter’s arrival in Washington began with a flight aboard a presidential US Air Force jet. The procession from the US Navy Memorial to Capitol Hill included hundreds of US service members and was a nod to Carter’s military service as a submariner.
At the Capitol Rotunda, a short service was held, attended by Carter’s family, congressional leaders, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Chief Justice John Roberts. Carter is now the 13th US president to lie in state at the Capitol, following a tradition that began with Abraham Lincoln in 1865.
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The timing of the ceremony carried additional symbolism, as it took place one day after the anniversary of the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. This year, Congress certified President Joe Biden’s reelection without incident, under heavy security.
A state funeral service will be held Thursday at the Washington National Cathedral. President Biden, who considered Carter a close friend and political ally, is set to deliver the eulogy. All four living former presidents—Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump—are expected to attend.
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Biden has declared Thursday a national day of mourning, closing federal offices and ordering flags flown at half-staff for 30 days, a tradition that will continue through the presidential inauguration later this month.
Carter, the first US president to reach 100 years of age, spent his final years in hospice care in Plains, Georgia. He will be laid to rest there alongside his wife, former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, who passed away in August 2024.
