Biden marks Jimmy Carter’s death with National Day of Mourning, amid sweeping tributes

Reactions to the death of former President Jimmy Carter paid tribute to his service to the country and his contributions around the world after his time in the White House.

President Joe Biden issued a proclamation on Sunday about Carter’s death, ordering American flags to fly at half-mast for 30 days. He also marked 9 January 2025 as a national day of mourning.

Earlier in the evening he appeared on television from St. Croix, part of the U.S. Virgin Islands, where he and his family spent the holidays, to remember the accomplished man both politically and personally, noting, “Jill and I lost a dear friend.”

However, he added that what he found most extraordinary about Carter was the fact that millions of people around the world currently shared that sentiment – whether they had met him or not.

“Cancer was a common bond between our two families,” Biden confided, saying they shared the belief that America has “the talent and the resources to one day end cancer as we know it if we make the investments. “

Biden praised the famed humanitarian for being a man of both words and action, suggesting, “We would all do well to be a little more like Jimmy Carter.”

On behalf of the nation, he told Carter’s family, “We send all our heartfelt condolences, in gratitude” for that life of service — both in the Oval Office and for decades afterward.

In closing, Biden noted that Carter was laid to rest: “I think he’s happy and he’s happy for Rosie” — referring to Carter’s beloved late wife Rosalynn Carter, who died a year earlier in November 2023.

He had previously released a statement calling Carter “a man of great character and courage, hope and optimism.”

“With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, create peace, promote civil and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless and always stand up for the least among us,” reads Biden’s statement. “He saved, uplifted and changed the lives of people around the globe.”

Vice President Kamala Harris mourned Carter’s passing on Sunday, saying in a statement that the former president “was guided by a deep and abiding faith — in God, in America and in humanity.”

“I had the privilege of knowing President Carter for years. I will always remember his kindness, wisdom and deep grace. His life and legacy continue to inspire me – and will inspire generations to come. Our world is a better place because of the President Carter,” Harris added.

In a statement sent to X, Secretary of State Antony Blinken remembered former President Jimmy Carter for demonstrating “what could be achieved through tireless diplomacy and dedication to the pursuit of peace, democracy and human rights.”

Listing Carter’s foreign policy accomplishments, Blinken included “negotiating the return of the Panama Canal to its host nation” and “developing arms control agreements with the Soviet Union.”

Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin wrote in a statement that “Americans will remember President Carter for his leadership in office and his distinguished post-presidency, but the Department also honors his distinguished service in uniform.”

Austin said: “We also honor President Carter for his contributions to global security. The Carter Doctrine continues to underpin our commitment to stability and security in the Gulf.”

He added, on a personal note, “Charlene and I send our deepest condolences to the Carter family.”

As Biden mentioned in his televised tribute, many political leaders had close personal ties and friendships with the former president, and their recollections were often heartfelt — even as they acknowledged Carter’s many efforts to decentralize himself and put other people and good work first.

Former President Bill Clinton said in a statement at X that he and his wife Hillary Clinton “mourn the passing of President Jimmy Carter and give thanks for his long, good life.” He also wrote, “Led by his faith, President Carter lived to serve others—until the end.”

President-elect Donald Trump wrote about Carter on Truth Social: “The challenges Jimmy faced as president came at a crucial time for our country, and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude.”

In his statement, former President Barack Obama praised the former president’s honesty, particularly in the wake of Watergate, saying in a statement that Carter “promised the voters that he would always tell the truth. And he did — advocating for the public good, consequences be damn He believed that some things were more important than re-election – things like integrity, respect and compassion, because Jimmy Carter believed that we are all made in the image of God.”

House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi also acknowledged the times Carter was elected to the White House, in a statement to ABC News:

“As president, his work to restore integrity to the political arena during a difficult chapter in our history was a testament to his firm belief in the sanctity of the public good, which he always put above his own,” she said in a statement . “After leaving the White House, he continued his service — leading perhaps the most influential post-presidency in history.”

Writing on X, former President George W. Bush called Carter “a man of deeply held convictions. He was loyal to his family, his community and his country. President Carter dignified the office. And his efforts to leave behind a better world behind It doesn’t end with the presidency His work with Habitat for Humanity and the Carter Center sets an example of service that will inspire Americans for generations.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s statement said: “President Carter lived a true American dream. A devoutly religious peanut farmer from small-town Georgia, he volunteered to serve his country in uniform. He manned pioneering submarines hundreds of feet below the ocean. He returned home and saved the family farm before feeling drawn to another form of public service and less than 15 years after his first campaign for the state Senate, his fellow Americans elected him leader of the free world.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer released a statement calling Carter “one of our most humble and devoted public servants.”

“President Carter personified the true meaning of leadership through service, through compassion and through integrity,” Schumer said in a statement.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called him a “great man, role model and humanitarian” and said in a statement that “his incredible life, legacy and leadership are a testament to the power of the American dream.”

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said in a statement that Carter “set the standard for post-presidential service through his work with Habitat for Humanity.”

The Clintons’ statement summed up Carter’s impact:

“From his commitment to civil rights as a state senator and governor of Georgia; to his efforts as president to protect our natural resources in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, make energy conservation a national priority, return the Panama Canal to Panama, and secure peace between Egypt and Israel at Camp David to his post-presidential efforts at the Carter Center supporting honest elections, promoting peace, fighting disease and promoting democracy Rosalynn’s devotion and hard work at Habitat for Humanity – he worked tirelessly for a better, fairer world.”