Political leaders, friends and family honored the life of former President Jimmy Carter at a funeral service at the Washington National Cathedral Thursday, concluding more than a week of public tributes to the 39th president, who died on Dec. 29 at the age of 100.
The service, which lasted roughly two hours, was packed with heartfelt and vivid remembrances that recalled both a powerful president and politician as well as a thoughtful and giving man of faith.
It was an ultimate Washington insider sendoff for a public servant known throughout his career as a political outsider. All five living presidents attended the funeral, including President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office in less than two weeks.
Carter, who is the nation's longest-living president, planned much of the funeral with the help of his wife, former first lady Rosalynn Carter, an effort they began decades ago. Many of their choices rang clear, deliberate and poignant, from the selection of the late president's favorite music to the list of speakers.
President Biden — a longtime friend and colleague of the 39th president — delivered a eulogy, a request made by Carter directly in 2021. Biden celebrated Carter's character and their friendship of nearly 50 years and cast a forward-looking message.
"Today, many think he was from a bygone era," Biden said. "But in reality, he saw well into the future."
Biden also argued there is "an obligation" to "to give hate no safe harbor," and to stand up to "the abuse of power."
"That's not about being perfect because none of us are perfect. We're all fallible," he said. "But it's about asking ourselves, are we striving to do things — the right things?"
"What are the values that animate our spirit to operate from fear or hope? Ego for generosity? Do we show grace? Do we keep the faith when it's most tested?" Biden added. "For keeping the faith with the best of humankind and the best of America is a story, in my view, from my perspective, Jimmy Carter's life."
The funeral at the National Cathedral is part of a national day of mourning, which Biden declared in Carter's honor after his death. The service followed additional memorials and ceremonies since last Saturday at the U.S. Capitol, the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta and his hometown of Plains, Ga.
Carter's remains will be transported back to Georgia for a private ceremony and burial in Plains.
In addition to Biden's eulogy, Carter's grandsons, Josh and Jason Carter, delivered personal and passionate family tributes.
Jason Carter highlighted his grandfather's 77-year marriage to Rosalynn Carter, who died in 2023, along with his lifelong outlook tied to his faith, given Carter was a devout Southern Baptist.
"Rest assured that in these last weeks, he told us that he was ready to see her again," Jason Carter said. "But his life was also a broader love story about love for his fellow humans and about living out the commandment to love your neighbor as yourself."
Notably, Steve Ford — the son of former President Gerald Ford, whom Carter beat in the 1976 presidential race — delivered a posthumous eulogy to the 39th president written by his father — a striking nod to Carter's longevity, given he outlived Ford by nearly 18 years.
"It's a long way between Grand Rapids, Mich., and Plains, Ga., but distances have a way of vanishing when measured in values rather than miles," Ford said. "It was because of our shared values that Jimmy and I respected each other as adversaries even before we cherished one another as dear friends."
The son of former Vice President Walter Mondale, Ted Mondale, also read a eulogy written by the late vice president. Mondale, who served as Carter's vice president, died in the spring of 2021.
Mondale emphasized the late president's record and highlighted his work addressing climate change, gender discrimination and income inequality.
"Towards the end of our time in the White House, the president and I were talking about how we might describe what we tried to accomplish in office," Mondale said. "We came up with a sentence which remains an important summary of our work. We told the truth, we obeyed the law and we kept the peace."
"That we did, Mr. President," he added. "I will always be proud and grateful to have had the chance to work with you towards noble ends."
Carter's former aide, Stu Eizenstat, passionately ticked through Carter's presidential record.
"It is time to redeem his presidency and also lay to rest the myth that his greatest achievements came only as a former president," Eizenstat said, characterizing him as, "the most consequential one-term presidents in American history."
He defended Carter's domestic policy efforts, particularly around the environment and curbing inflation. He also detailed Carter's foreign policy record, referencing his leadership on the Camp David Accords and his work easing relations with Panama by relinquishing control of the Canal Zone.
Eizenstat also offered a personal tribute to Carter and his ability to uplift other religions, sharing he came to Eizenstat's house for a Passover Seder and was the first president to light a Hanukkah menorah. He also created the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
"In the end, Jimmy Carter taught us how to live a life filled with faith and service," he said. "He may not be a candidate for Mount Rushmore, but he belongs in its foothills, making the U.S. stronger and the world safer."
Nestled in between remarks was a cover of "Imagine" by John Lennon — known as Carter's favorite song — performed by country stars Garth Brooks and Tricia Yearwood, friends of the Carters.
Since Carter died, Biden has repeatedly praised his character
Biden's eulogy on Thursday echoed some of his initial remarks in the immediate aftermath of Carter's death at the end of the year.
"What I find extraordinary about Jimmy Carter, though, is that millions of people all around the world, all over the world, feel they lost a friend, as well, even though they never met him," Biden said. "That's because Jimmy Carter lived a life measured not by words but by his deeds."
Trump recently criticized Carter's presidential record during a news conference, arguing that the late former president lost his 1980 reelection bid due to his handling of the Panama Canal.
"Nobody wants to talk about the Panama Canal now because, you know, it's inappropriate, I guess," Trump said. "Because it's a bad part of the Carter legacy."
"He was a good man. I knew him a little bit, and he was a very fine person, but that was a big mistake," Trump added. On Wednesday evening, the president-elect and his wife, former first lady Melania Trump, paid their respects to Carter, who was lying in state at the Capitol Rotunda this week. Trump later told reporters he had met with members of the Carter family earlier in the day.
The public was also able to pay tribute to the former president at the Capitol. While waiting in line outside, Carter's supporters praised his long career in public life.
Mark Wentzell of Minneapolis, Minn., who traveled to the memorial with his daughter, told NPR that Carter was "a real role model for everyone."
"He was so sincere in everything he did," he said.
"I view him as a really good man, high moral values" Washington, D.C., resident Bruce Meredith said as he got in line. "He seriously was a public servant. He gave all he had to this country. And that's why I respect him so much."
Susan Prolman was just 11 years old when Carter ran for president, but she recalled fondly how he stayed in her family's home in New Hampshire during the 1976 primary.
"Instead of staying at hotels, they stayed at people's houses," she said. "It was very exciting."
Standing outside the Capitol, Prolman, who now lives in D.C., held up her handwritten 'Carter for President' poster that she made nearly 50 years ago. Under those words were small hand-drawn peanuts, a nod to his time as a peanut farmer.
"He was a truly kind man," she said. "He brought so much to this country."
Watch NPR's live special coverage of the Washington National Cathedral service:
300x250 Ad
300x250 Ad