Jimmy Carter’s funeral will be held on January 9 at the Washington National Cathedral, where President Joe Biden will give a eulogy, funeral organizers told The New York Times.
Carter, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and peanut farm operator who became the 39th president of the United States, died at his home in Plains, Georgia, on Sunday at 100 years old, the Carter Foundation confirmed.
The funeral is one of eight days of ceremonies and honors, which will include Carter’s body being flown to Washington, D.C. where he will lie in state at the Capitol Rotunda.
Biden has also marked January 9 as a national day of mourning and has called on U.S. citizens to assemble “in their respective places of worship” to pay homage to the former president.
Heartfelt tributes continue pouring in from world leaders celebrating Carter’s life and humanitarian achievements, including President-elect Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Pope Francis.
Key points
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Jimmy Carter’s funeral plans revealed after former president dies aged 100
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Biden declares national day of mourning for Jan. 9
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Trump and Biden lead tributes to 39th president of United States
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Obama hails Carter’s White House accomplishments and ‘most impactful’ post-presidency
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Carter’s dedication and humility was an inspiration, King Charles says
Carter often volunteered with Habitat for Humanity after leaving White House
21:00 , Ariana Baio
He was the oldest living president and had been out of the White House for more than 35 years, but Jimmy Carter never stopped working to improve the lives of others — much of which included building homes.
Even well into his 90s, Carter put on a hard hat and volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, the nonprofit organization he often partnered with through The Carter Center.
The one-term president — who died Sunday at his home in Plains, Georgia — worked alongside 103,000 volunteers in 14 countries to build, renovate and repair 4,331 homes with Habitat for Humanity for more than 35 years. Often, Carter and his late wife, former first lady Rosalynn Carter, volunteered together.
The couple first participated in a Habitat for Humanity project in 1984 in New York City. Carter discovered the organization while on a run. He recalled that he passed by a building and thought, “Rosalynn and I should come up and give them a hand.”
“When we left the White House, we could have done anything,” Carter once said. “But our choice was to volunteer as Habitat workers, and that’s been a life-changing experience for us.”
Carter insisted on no funeral train procession
20:30 , Ariana Baio
Carter specifically requested that his body not be transported by train from Washington D.C. to Georgia, once telling a staffer, “if you take my cold, dead body across the U.S. by train, I’ll haunt you until the day you die.”
In the past, some presidents have traveled from Washington D.C. to their place of rest by train, allowing people all across the U.S. to pay their respects. George H.W. Bush’s family did this in 2018.
But Cater was adamant this not be his situation, according to the New York Times. Instead, his body will be transported by military flight.
Delta airlines shares
20:00 , Ariana Baio
Carter will be remembered for his commitment to humanitarian services and kindness toward people. Delta Airlines shared their fond memories of the former president with a video showing Carter shaking hands with each passenger on board.
“Every time Jimmy Carter flew Delta, he shook hands with each person on the plane. Because that’s who he was. Someone who treated people as people,” Delta wrote
Carter’s niece says he was ‘one of a kind’
19:30 , Ariana Baio
Carter’s niece, Kim Fuller, said her uncle was “one of a kind” and that it’s unlikely the world will ever get another person like him, in an interview with ABC News.
“I think that Uncle Jimmy was one of a kind,” Fuller said.
Fuller said her uncle lived his life for others before himself.
“I have hopes that maybe one day somebody’s going to show up like him,” Fuller said.
Biden signs executive order closing government January 9
19:00 , Ariana Baio
President Joe Biden has officially signed the executive order that will effectively close the government on January 9, the day he has declared the national day of mourning for former president Jimmy Carter.
Departments related to national security, defense or other public needs can remain functioning.
Eulogy from former president Gerald Ford will be read at funeral
18:30 , Ariana Baio
A eulogy, written for Carter by former president Gerald R. Ford, will be read at Carter’s funeral, according to the New York Times.
Ford, who Carter defeated in the 1976 presidential election, became a close friend to Carter after the election. Ford died in 2006 at the age of 93. His son, Steven Ford, is expected to read his eulogy to Carter.
Another political, former vice president Walter F. Mondale – who served as VP for Carter – also wrote a eulogy for Carter. Mondale died in 2021 at the age of 93. His son, Ted Mondale, will read the eulogy for Carter.
In focus: Carter’s father was a white supremacist, but a black farmhand gave him faith and purpose
18:00 , James Liddell
For decades after he was crushed in the 1980 presidential election, Jimmy Carter was defined as a loser. But, by any standard, he won at life. He was the longest-living American president, the longest married (77 years, and happily), and – especially if you look at his whole career – among the most accomplished and productive figures of our era.
Now it’s time for the public to reassess this inspiring, complex, and confounding man. When I first began researching his epic American life in 2015, I was struck by the ubiquity of the easy shorthand on him – bad president; great former president. Even now, everyone from political scientists to the average person on the street will express this idea as if it’s an established fact. The problem is, the widespread conventional wisdom on Carter is mostly wrong.
Carter’s his biographer Jonathan Alter takes a look at the extraordinary life and achievements of the former president.
Jimmy Carter: Born to a white supremacist, but raised by a black farmhand
Wall Street to close on Jan. 9
17:40 , James Liddell
The New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq will be closed on January 9, 2025 after President Joe Biden declared a national day of mourning for Jimmy Carter after the former president died at the age of 100 on Sunday.
“Jimmy Carter, with humble roots as a farmer and family man, devoted his life to public service and defending our freedom,” Lynn Martin, President of NYSE Group, said in a statement on Monday.
“During his noteworthy post-presidential life, President Carter left an enduring legacy of humanitarianism. The NYSE will respectfully honor President Carter’s lifetime of service to our nation by closing our markets on the National Day of Mourning.”
Houses of Parliament and No.10 fly British flags at half-staff in honor of Carter
17:19 , James Liddell
A flag flies at half-mast for the late former U.S. President Jimmy Carter at the Houses of Parliament in London on Monday (AP)
Flags fly at half-mast for the late former U.S. President Jimmy Carter at Downing Street in London on Monday (AP)
Netanyahu’s office praises carter for ‘forging the first Arab-Israeli peace treaty’
17:00 , James Liddell
Texas governor offered condolences to Jimmy Carter’s wife Rosalynn – who has been dead for over a year
16:40 , James Liddell
Texas Governor Greg Abbott mistakenly sent his condolences to Jimmy Carter’s wife, Rosalynn, despite her being dead for over a year.
“Cecilia and I send our prayers and deepest condolences to First Lady Rosalynn Carter and the entire Carter family,” the GOP governor wrote in a statement released on Sunday.
However, Rosalynn Carter passed away on November 19, 2023 at the age of 96. The statement came just hours after Carter’s death at his Plains, Georgia, home on Sunday.
“Did anyone in the Governor’s Office Proof the Condolence note?,” the Democratic party of Collins county, Texas, teased on X after the mistake.
Spain’s Prime Minister joins chorus of world leaders paying tribute to Carter
16:20 , James Liddell
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has joined a chorus of foreign leaders in lamenting over loss of Jimmy Carter, who died aged 100 on Sunday.
“My deepest condolences to President Carter’s family and the people of the United States,” he wrote on X on Monday, which was translated from Spanish by Google.
“Jimmy Carter was one of the leaders most committed to justice and human rights and will always be remembered for his defense of democracy and his dedication to peace.”
15:59 , James Liddell
We appreciate the past. We are grateful for the present and we’re looking forward to the future with great anticipation and commitment.
Jimmy Carter — October 1986, at the dedication of the Carter Presidential Library and Museum
In photos: A look through Kimmy Carter’s life
15:40 , James Liddell
Jimmy Carter’s life was marked by his devotion to his family, public service and humanitarian efforts.
The former president first emerged into the political scene in the early 1960s and spent the rest of his life working to ensure people in the US and around the world received fair treatment and a better quality of life.
From an early age his desire to make a difference in people’s life was evident.
He continued his public service through time spent in the military, elected office and volunteer work after leaving Washington, D.C.
Ariana Baio takes a look at the life of the Peanut President in photos.
Jimmy Carter’s life in photos
Pope Francis ‘saddened’ to learn of Carter’s death as he applauds his Christian faith
15:20 , James Liddell
Pope Francis was “saddened to learn” of Jimmy Carter’s passing and has offered his “heartfelt condolences” and prayers to those mourning his loss, the Vatican said on Monday.
According to a statement from the Cardinal Secretary of State of Vatican City, Pietro Parolin, Pope Francis also recalled Carter’s “firm commitment, motivated by deep Christian faith, to the cause of reconciliation and peace between peoples, the defence of human rights and the welfare of the poor and those in need”.
Parolin added: “The Holy Father commends him to the infinite mercies of Almighty God and prays for the consolation of all who mourn his loss.”
What is a national day of mourning?
15:00 , James Liddell
The last time a Democratic president died was in 1973 when Lyndon Baines Johnson passed away at the age of 64, just a few years after leaving office.
Following the death of Jimmy Carter on Sunday at the age of 100, the nation will now see the first funeral for a Democratic president in more than 50 years. Carter is the longest-living president, who also had the longest post-presidency after leaving office at the age of 56 in 1980.
Since the death of Johnson, there have been four state funerals for former presidents – Johnson’s in 1973, Ronald Reagan’s in 2004, Gerald Ford’s in 2007 and George HW Bush’s most recently in 2018.
Gustaf Kilander has the full story.
Jimmy Carter death: What is a national day of mourning?
Jimmy Carter’s funeral plans revealed
14:40 , James Liddell
Jimmy Carter’s funeral will be held at Washington National Cathedral on January 9, according to organizers.
President Joe Biden will read a eulogy at the ceremony, those orchestrating the funeral logistics told The New York Times on Monday.
It will mark part of an eight-day plan of ceremonies and honors, which will not commence until later this week due to the New Year’s holiday.
Carter will be brought to the Carter Center in Atlanta on Saturday and Sunday by motorcade to lie in repose at the home of his post-presidential humanitarian work.
The former president’s body will be flown to Washington, DC, on Monday where he will lie in state at the Capitol Rotunda, according to organizers.
The memorial journey will end at his house in the tiny town of Plains, Georgia – where he grew up on a peanut farm – and will be laid to rest.
Initial plans once called for him to be transported by train but, according to The Times, Carter objected to a staffer: “If you take my cold, dead body across the U.S. by train, I’ll haunt you until the day you die.”
14:20 , James Liddell
If I were an amputee, for instance, my prayer would not be to restore my leg but to help me make the best of my condition, and to be thankful for life and opportunities to be a blessing to others. At the moment, we are monitoring the status of my cancer, and my prayers about my own health are similar to this.
Jimmy Carter – 2018 book, ‘Faith: A Journey for All’
Biden declares National Day of Mourning to honor Carter
14:00 , James Liddell
President Joe Biden has marked January 9, 2025, as a National Day of Mourning in honor of Jimmy Carter, who passed away on Sunday aged 100.
In a statement late on Sunday evening, Biden called on US citizens to assemble “in their respective places of worship” to pay homage to the former president.
The president has also scheduled a state funeral in Washington, DC, for Carter on January 9.
Previously, federal offices and stock markets have been closed during national days of mourning – including for former presidents Gerald Ford in 2006 and George H. W. Bush in 2018.
The president also declared that flags will be displayed at half-staff for 30 days from the day of Carter’s death at the White House, on public buildings and grounds, at military posts and naval stations.
Watch live: Outside Carter Presidential Center as former Nobel Peace Prize winner dies aged 100
13:45 , James Liddell
World leaders react to Jimmy Carter’s death
13:35 , James Liddell
Former UK Prime Minster Gordon Brown laments loss of ‘friend’ jimmy Carter
13:20 , James Liddell
The former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has joined a chorus of political heavyweights in lamenting over the loss of Jimmy Carter.
“He is, and will be, mourned in every country and continent where civil liberties are valued and peace has proved elusive; revered as the leader who stood with all those who faced imprisonment, torture or persecution for defending democracy and human rights,” Brown wrote in an op-ed for The Guardian on Monday morning.
“Carter gave oppressed people hope. I was proud to learn from him and to count him and his wonderful wife, Rosalynn – who was also his closest adviser – as friends.”
Flags fly at half-staff near the Capitol
13:05 , James Liddell
Flags fly at half-staff at the Washington Monument on the National Mall on Monday (REUTERS)
12:50 , James Liddell
I realize that my physical strength and endurance are steadily declining, and I am having to learn how to conserve them, but I have found with relief and gratitude — even when facing the prospect of an early death from cancer in my liver and brain — that my faith as a Christian is still unwavering and sustaining.
Jimmy Carter – from his 2018 book, ‘Faith: A Journey for All’
Jimmy Carter’s grandson Jason breaks silence sharing touching cartoon on X
12:35 , James Liddell
Did Jimmy Carter blow royal etiquette by kissing Queen Mother on the lips?
12:20 , James Liddell
The late former US president Jimmy Carter was a relative novice at international diplomacy when made his first visit to the UK just four months into his term in the White House in 1977 – which resulted in him earning the displeasure of the Queen Mother after being said to have given her a parting kiss on the lips.
It was the year of Queen Elizabeth’s Silver Jubilee, marking her 25th year on the throne, and world leaders attending a G7 summit were invited for a state banquet in Buckingham Palace where they were to meet the Queen and other members of the Royal Family.
Photographs showed Mr Carter and the Queen Mother being all smiles as the president escorted her by her white-gloved hand to their places in a formal group portrait with the G7 leaders before dinner. But the evening would end with a short moment which would spark debate among British tabloids and the American media for decades afterwards, with the president accused of a total ignorance of royal protocol.
Alex Croft has the full story.
Did Jimmy Carter blow royal etiquette by kissing Queen Mother on the lips?
ICYMI: Trump, Biden and Obama pay tribute to ‘public servant’ Jimmy Carter after his death aged 100
12:05 , James Liddell
Washington‘s political heavyweights paid tribute to former President Jimmy Carter after his death was announced on Sunday by his family.
The nation’s 39th president was renowned for his commitment to public service in the years after his exit from political life and earned a strong reputation for helping America’s neediest families in his post-presidential years.
After news of his passing was reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, tributes began to swiftly pour in for the 100-year-old statesman.
John Bowden has collated the tributes below.
Lawmakers pay tribute to ‘public servant’ Jimmy Carter after his death aged 100
Where might former president Jimmy Carter’s savings go after he dies?
11:50 , James Liddell
Jimmy Carter, former president of the United States, was not an extravagant man.
He lived on a property in Plains, Georgia — where he died Sunday at age 100 — that was worth a fraction of the average U.S. house price, he shopped at budget stores, and he did not fly privately.
The least expensive former president for the U.S. government, Carter and his wife Rosalynn — who died in 2023 — lived a surprisingly average life after his term ended in 1981.
Katie Hawkinson has the story.
Where might former president Jimmy Carter’s money go after he dies?
Remants of the US embassy crisis in Tehran remain
11:35 , James Liddell
Graffitti on the walls of the former US embassy headquarters in Theran photographed on Monday which was stormed and occupied by Iranian students in November 1979 (AFP via Getty Images)
Man walks past a graffiti depicting the Great Seal with a Star of David on top on the walls of the former US embassy in Theran on Monday (AFP via Getty Images)
Meeting Jimmy Carter — and getting a scoop about Bush, Blair and Iraq from the perfect gentleman
11:20 , James Liddell
The thing that sticks in my mind — even now — was the welcoming eyes and the warm smile.
He stretched out his hand to offer it in greeting and said something along the measure of: “Thanks for coming down to see us.”
Jimmy Carter — who died Sunday at his home in Plains, Georgia, at age 100 — was always known as a gentleman, a farmer from Georgia who had held the most powerful political office in the world. But it did not seem forced, it did not seem an act.
I’d flown to the offices of The Carter Center in Atlanta to interview him about his latest book, The Hornet’s Nest: A Novel of the Revolutionary War. He’d written plenty of books — he would go on to author more than 30 — but this was his first novel, one that the publisher Simon & Schuster described as “a sweeping novel of the American South and the War of Independence.”
Find out more about when Andrew Buncombe met the 39th president.
Meeting Jimmy Carter — and getting a scoop about Bush, Blair and Iraq
Carter never got to appoint a Supreme Court justice. Trump appointed three
11:07 , James Liddell
Jimmy Carter served a full presidential term without the chance to appoint a Supreme Court justice.
Carter, who died on Sunday aged 100, sat in the White House from 1977 to 1981. While serving the single term before being succeeded by Ronald Reagan, Carter did not appoint a single justice to the higher court, as no vacancies occurred.
He marks the only one-term president to finish a full term without making an appointment and the fourth overall.
Donald Trump, however, appointed three in his first term: Amy Coney Barrett, Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch. They make up half of the six justices appointed by GOP presidents, with nine making up the current Supreme Court.
Trump says he ‘strongly disagrees’ with Carter ‘philosophically and politically’ in second statment
10:53 , James Liddell
Donald Trump released a second statement about Jimmy Carter’s death on Sunday evening on Truth Social (Donald Trump/Truth Social)
Watch: Biden says America lost ‘remarkable leader’ as he pays tribute to ‘dear friend’
10:40 , James Liddell
Continuing a life of public service, Jimmy Carter spent his final years building houses for the poor
10:28 , Alex Croft
He was the oldest living president and had been out of the White House for more than 35 years, but Jimmy Carter never stopped working to improve the lives of others — much of which included building homes for the needy.
Even well into his 90s, Carter put on a hard hat and volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, the nonprofit organization he often partnered with through The Carter Center.
The one-term president — who died Sunday at his home in Plains, Georgia — worked alongside 103,000 volunteers in 14 countries to build, renovate and repair 4,331 homes with Habitat for Humanity for more than 35 years. Often, Carter and his late wife, former first lady Rosalynn Carter, volunteered together.
Graeme Massie and Ariana Baio have the story.
How Jimmy Carter built houses for the poor until his final years
Watch: Carter recalls advice he was given during Iranian hostage crisis
10:17 , Alex Croft
‘We give money, we don’t take it’: Where might former president Jimmy Carter’s savings go after he dies?
10:05 , Alex Croft
Jimmy Carter, former president of the United States, was not an extravagant man.
He lived on a property in Plains, Georgia — where he died Sunday at age 100 — that was worth a fraction of the average U.S. house price, he shopped at budget stores, and he did not fly privately.
The least expensive former president for the U.S. government, Carter and his wife Rosalynn — who died in 2023 — lived a surprisingly average life after his term ended in 1981.
While the Carters lived a public life, they were nothing if not generous with their money.
“We give money, we don’t take it,” the former president told The Los Angeles Times in 1989 — though his record of charitable donations speaks for itself.
Katie Hawkinson has the report:
Where might former president Jimmy Carter’s money go after he dies?
Watch: President Biden’s full remarks on passing of Jimmy Carter
09:52 , Alex Croft
Explained: What happens when a president dies?
09:40 , Alex Croft
There are a number of traditions and customs that govern the death of a US president, but the wishes of the family are also heavily considered, meaning the proceedings can be quite different from each other.
Gustaf Kilander explains.
What happens when a president dies?
Watch: Carter believed Trump lost in 2016 but Russia interfered
09:27 , Alex Croft
Obituary — Jimmy Carter: The unlikely 39th president of the United States
09:14 , Alex Croft
Despite just one four-year and somewhat unorthodox term in office, Jimmy Carter brought much hope to the White House during a tenure that was marred by several major crisises.
As America’s 39th president, he emphasized human rights in his foreign policy, championed environmentalism at a time when it was not yet popular, and appointed record numbers of women and people of color during his administration, which lasted from 1977 to 1981.
Read on…
Jimmy Carter: The 39th president of the United States
Watch: Carter says best thing he ever did was marry Rosalynn
08:53 , Alex Croft
Meeting Jimmy Carter — and getting a scoop about Bush, Blair and Iraq from the perfect gentleman
08:40 , Alex Croft
The thing that sticks in my mind — even now — was the welcoming eyes and the warm smile.
He stretched out his hand to offer it in greeting and said something along the measure of: “Thanks for coming down to see us.”
Jimmy Carter — who died Sunday at his home in Plains, Georgia, at age 100 — was always known as a gentleman, a farmer from Georgia who had held the most powerful political office in the world. But it did not seem forced, it did not seem an act.
I’d flown to the offices of The Carter Center in Atlanta to interview him about his latest book, The Hornet’s Nest: A Novel of the Revolutionary War. He’d written plenty of books — he would go on to author more than 30 — but this was his first novel, one that the publisher Simon & Schuster described as “a sweeping novel of the American South and the War of Independence.”
Meeting Jimmy Carter — and getting a scoop about Bush, Blair and Iraq
Carter’s dedication and humility was an inspiration – King Charles
08:30 , Alex Croft
King Charles has responded to Jimmy Carter’s death with “great sadness”.
He wrote in a post on X: “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.
“My thoughts and prayers are with President Carter’s family and the American people at this time.”
Live: Flag lowered at Capitol Hill to honour former president Jimmy Carter
08:19 , Alex Croft
Jimmy Carter, who rose from humble peanut farmer to president, dies aged 100
08:00 , Oliver O’Connell
James Earl “Jimmy” Carter Jr, a naval officer, Nobel Peace Prize winner and peanut farm operator who became governor of Georgia and later the 39th president of the United States, has died.
Carter, who was the longest-living former US president, died at the age of 100 on Sunday, 29 December, his son announced. An immediate cause was not given.
He served as president for one term from 1977 to 1981, but is just as well-known for his humanitarian service after leaving Washington DC, working for Habitat for Humanity and negotiating peace deals.
Ariana Baio and Andrew Feinberg report.
Jimmy Carter, US president and human rights champion, has died
07:50 , Oliver O’Connell
The life we have now is the best of all. We have an expanding and harmonious family, a rich life in our church and the Plains community, and a diversity of projects at The Carter Center that is adventurous and exciting. Rosalynn and I have visited more than 145 countries, and both of us are as active as we have ever been. We are blessed with good health and look to the future with eagerness and confidence, but are prepared for inevitable adversity when it comes.
Jimmy Carter — From 2015 book, ‘A Full Life’
Watch: Carter’s modest life after leaving office
07:30 , Oliver O’Connell
07:10 , Oliver O’Connell
I had a very challenging question at Emory (University) the other night: “How would you describe the United States of America today in one word?” And I didn’t know what to say for a few moments, but I finally said, “Searching.” I think the country in which we live is still searching for what it ought to be, and what it can be, and I’m not sure we’re making much progress right at this moment.
Jimmy Carter — October 2014 during a celebration of his 90th birthday
How Jimmy and Rosalynn returned to their Plains home after the White House
07:00 , Oliver O’Connell
Jimmy Carter once held the highest office in the land — but was just as content in his family home in small town Georgia.
At the age of 56, having lost the 1980 election to Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter returned to Plains, Georgia, the small town where both he and his wife Rosalynn were born in the 1920s.
From the White House, they moved back into the ranch house they built in the city in 1961. That modest home is where Carter peacefully died on Sunday at the age of 100.
Gustaf Kilander reports on how Carter was the humblest president in history.
How Jimmy and Rosalynn returned to Plains after the White House
