The state funeral of ex President Jimmy Carter will be held on January 9 in Washington, DC, according to a presidential statement by President Biden.
Mr. Biden also said Sunday night that Jan. 9, 2025, would be declared a National Day of Mourning for Carter, who died before that day at 100 years old
“I call on the American people to gather that day in their respective places of worship, there to pay tribute to the memory of President James Earl Carter, Jr.,” Biden said in a statement. “I invite the people of the world who share our grief to join us in this solemn celebration.”
Mr. Biden declared that all American flags will be flown at half-mast for 30 days at all federal buildings, military posts and naval stations, as well as on all naval ships.
What is a state funeral?
Biden said there will be a “big service” in Washington, DC, to honor Carter.
The state funeral is part of a seven to 10-day affair, which will consist of three stages. The first stage includes memorials and ceremonies in the former president’s home state of Georgia, where he lived most of his life.
The next stage includes ceremonies in Washington, D.C., which may involve Armed Forces honor guards, elite military bands and other service academies, National Guard and U.S. Armed Forces Reserve units, according to the pentagon.
The next stage is the ceremonies in the state where the former president has chosen to be buried. The Carter Center has already said there will be a private ceremony in Plains, Georgia, Carter’s hometown.
Who is likely to attend Carter’s funeral?
Mr. Biden said Carter asked him to deliver the eulogy at his funeral. First Lady Jill Biden will also attend.
Former presidents and former first ladies often attend the funerals of a former president, so expect to see Barack and Michelle Obama, Bill and Hillary Clinton, as well as George and Laura Bush.
Will Trump attend Carter’s funeral?
President-elect Donald Trump has yet to announce his plans. He did not attend Rosalynn Carter’s funeral in 2023, but his wife Melania Trump attended, along with all the former first ladies. The last former president to die was George HW Bush, who died in 2018 while Trump was in the White House. Trump attended the Washington, DC, service for Bush along with Melania Trump.
Trump made two statements Sunday night about Carter, saying “we all owe him a debt of gratitude.”