Former US Pres. Carter lies in state after Washington procession

Former US Pres. Carter lies in state after somber Washington procession

/ 07:04 AM January 08, 2025

The casket of the late former US President Jimmy Carter arrives in the Rotunda of the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on January 7, 2025. - Carter, the 39th President of the United States, died at the age of 100 on December 29, 2024 at his home in Plains, Georgia. (Photo by J. Scott Applewhite / POOL / AFP)

The casket of the late former US President Jimmy Carter arrives in the Rotunda of the US Capitol in Washington DC on January 7, 2025. Carter, the 39th President of the United States, died at the age of 100 on December 29, 2024 at his home in Plains, Georgia. (Photo by J. Scott Applewhite / POOL / AFP)

The body of late United States President Jimmy Carter was transferred Tuesday in a grand and solemn military ceremony to the US Capitol, where it will lie in state until a national funeral later this week.

Carter, who died on December 29 at the age of 100, served a single term from 1977-1981 and was widely praised for his post-presidential humanitarian efforts, for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

Article continues after this advertisement

His body arrived at the snow-covered US Capitol, where it will remain until Thursday, after a full day of ceremonious travel that began in his native Georgia.

FEATURED STORIES

Having been flown to Washington aboard a presidential US Air Force jet, his flag-draped casket was carried atop a gun carriage in a funeral procession from the US Navy Memorial — an ode to his military service on submarines — to Capitol Hill, tracing the opposite route he took during his inauguration parade.

Hundreds of US service members accompanied the procession down Pennsylvania Avenue, which was cleared of snow from a recent winter storm that has prompted federal office and school closures in the area.

Article continues after this advertisement

Military pallbearers then carried his casket up to the Capitol Rotunda where a short service was held, with Carter’s family, members of Congress and other dignitaries including Chief Justice John Roberts and Vice President Kamala Harris in attendance.

Article continues after this advertisement

Carter is the 13th former US president to lie in state in the Capitol. Abraham Lincoln, assassinated in 1865, was the first.

Article continues after this advertisement

The ceremony has taken on added significance, coming a day after the anniversary of the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, in which Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the building in an attempt to block certification of Joe Biden’s election victory.

On Monday, Congress certified Trump’s win over Harris without any disruptions and with the complex under very heavy security.

Article continues after this advertisement

A state funeral service is to be held Thursday at the National Cathedral, an Episcopal church in Washington that also hosted funerals for former Presidents Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush.

Current President Joe Biden is to deliver the eulogy for his fellow Democrat.

All four living former presidents — Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Trump — are expected to attend.

Biden has declared Thursday a national day of mourning, with federal government offices to be closed for the day.

He has also ordered flags to half-staff for 30 days as is customary, which means that will be the case during Trump’s January 20 inauguration, something the Republican has criticized.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

The first president to reach triple digits, Carter had been in hospice care since February 2023 in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, where he died and will be buried next to his late wife, former First Lady Rosalynn Carter.

TAGS: Jimmy Carter, United States

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our newsletter!

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

© Copyright 1997-2025 INQUIRER.net | All Rights Reserved

This is an information message

We use cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more here.