Former President Jimmy Carter—who died last month at the age of 100—will be memorialized in a state funeral at the National Cathedral on Thursday, expected to be attended by all living presidents and marked by a national day of mourning.
Former President Barack Obama and President-elect Donald Trump chat at the state funeral for Jimmy ... [+]
The service begins as Carter’s casket is carried into the Cathedral by military officers, with his family proceeding.
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden arrive, and are seated next to Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff.
President-elect Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama—seated next to each other in the pews—appeared to have an engrossing conversation, with Obama laughing several times, a surprising moment for the two rivals.
Harris and Emhoff arrived at the service and were seated in the aisle in front of the four former presidents in attendance.
Former President George W. Bush and his wife Laura, and former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton arrived at the service, with the Bushes sitting next to Obama and the Clintons at the end of the aisle, opposite Trump.
Trump shook hands with former Vice President Mike Pence, marking the first time the two have been seen publicly in the same room in four years.
Trump and his wife Melania Trump arrived at the funeral and were seated next to Obama.
Carter’s casket arrived at the National Cathedral.
Carter’s casket departed the U.S. Capitol, where it had been lying in state since Tuesday, for the National Cathedral.
President Joe Biden designated Thursday a national day of mourning in recognition of Carter’s funeral. Flags will remain at half-staff until later this month, and most federal agencies and the New York Stock Exchange are closed.
Biden and Carter’s grandson Jason Carter, among others, are scheduled to deliver remarks at the service. Following the service, his body will be flown to Georgia by about 2 p.m. and driven to his hometown of Plains, for a private funeral service at around 3:45 p.m., and a procession through downtown Plains, according to organizers. Carter, who served as president from 1977 to 1981, will be buried next to his wife of 77 years, Rosalynn Carter, who died in November 2023.
This is a developing story and will be updated.