Jimmy Carter honored at Capitol after death

Thousands of mourners gathered at the US Capitol to pay their respects to former President Jimmy Carter, whose body lies in state in the Capitol Rotunda. Carter, who passed away on December 29 at age 100, was the first US president to reach triple digits and had been in hospice care since February 2023 in Plains, Georgia.

President-elect Donald Trump made his first return to the Capitol since January 6, 2021, to honor Carter. Trump is scheduled to meet with Senate Republicans and attend Carter's funeral, as he prepares to return to the White House in 12 days.

Among the mourners was Air Force veteran Michael Gibbons, who traveled from New Jersey before sunrise. Gibbons recalled Carter as the first president he voted for and shared a personal memory of shaking his hand at Pease Air Force Base. Other visitors, like Quinton Foster from Washington, D.C., praised Carter's integrity, particularly following the Watergate scandal.

A state funeral service was held at the National Cathedral, with President Joe Biden delivering the eulogy.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump visited the Capitol Rotunda to pay respects to the late President Jimmy Carter, marking his first return to the U.S. Capitol since his supporters rioted there over contested 2020 election results on January 6, 2021.

The President-elect is seeking to rally Republicans around a policy agenda that includes tax cuts, border controls, and an increase in fossil fuel production, as he prepares to return to the White House in 12 days.

 Biden has declared a national day of mourning, with federal offices closed and flags at half-staff for 30 days.

Carter, who served as president from 1977-1981, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his humanitarian work after leaving office. He will be buried in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, beside his late wife, former first lady Rosalynn Carter.