Live coverage: Biden honors Carter, as Trump, former presidents gather for funeral

The funeral of former President Jimmy Carter concludes at the Washington National Cathedral on Thursday. (Greg Nash)

After the procession ended, Vice President Harris turned around and greeted the Bushes. She appeared to give a quick look to former President Obama. Moments later, she then turned to talk to Obama and the two spoke for several seconds while Trump, next to Obama, looked forward and didn’t engage with them.

Biden, with his son Hunter Biden behind him, shook hands with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Britain’s Prince Edward after the service.

Biden, Jill Biden, and Harris put their hands over their hearts when the casket proceeded past the first row.

Others in the cathedral saluted during the procession. The Carter family followed behind the casket to exit the cathedral.

Photo / Greg Nash

The funeral is concluding, with Carter’s casket being carried out of the Washington National Cathedral. It will head to Plains, Ga., for a private family ceremony and interment.

Country music star Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood sang “Imagine” at the funeral.

The presidents looked on, with both Biden and Trump briefly closing their eyes at times throughout the song as they listened.

The Rev. Andrew Young, a former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. and Atlanta mayor, recalled in a eulogy about Plains, Ga., the home of Carter.

“It was something of a miracle, and I don’t mean this with any disrespect, it’s still hard for me to understand, how you could get to be president from Plains, Ga.,” he said, going on to describe how he was “nervous” to drive through the town and Sumter County during the Civil Rights Movement.

He noted Carter’s ability to “achieve greatness by the diversity of his personality and his upbringing.” He quoted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., noting Carter had “a tough mind and a tender heart.”

Biden called on young people to “study the power of Jimmy Carter’s example.”

He added, “I miss him, but I take solace in knowing that he and his beloved Rosalynn are reunited again.” He then thanked the Carter family “for sharing them both with America and the world.”

He said that Carter’s life was filled with “faith, hope and love.”

When he finished his eulogy, he brushed his hand over and tapped Carter’s casket, draped with the American flag, again before taking his seat.

Biden honored Carter as someone who was able to look forward to the future, saying he worked on climate issues, redefined the relationship between a president and vice president, and established a new model post-presidency around making a difference as a private citizen.

“Today, many think he was from a bygone era. But in reality, he saw well into the future,” he said.

“Through it all, he taught us how character and faith start with ourselves and flow to others,” Biden added.

President Biden speaks a tribute next to the flag-draped casket of former President Carter during a state funeral at Washington National Cathedral, Jan. 9, 2025, in Washington. (Ben Curtis, Associated Press)

President Biden tapped Carter’s casket and made a sign of the cross as he made his way to speak.

He began his eulogy by saying that Carter’s “enduring attribute” was “character.”

“Jimmy Carter’s friendship taught me and through his life taught me that strength of character is more than title or the power we hold. It’s the strength to understand that everyone should be treated with dignity and respect … everyone deserves an even shot,” Biden said.

Biden said that his friendship with Carter started in 1974 and that he was the first senator to endorse his presidential run.

First lady Jill Biden, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, and President Biden in April 2021.

Carter had asked Biden to offer his eulogy.

Jason Carter, the former president’s grandson, delivered a eulogy marked with humor and personal remembrances.

Jason Carter recounted how his grandparents would hand Ziploc bags out to dry, a nod to their experience with the Great Depression, and his difficulties using a cellphone. He also recalled his trailblazing policy views on climate and civil rights.

“In my 49 years, I never perceived a difference between his public face and his private one,” Jason Carter said. “He was the same person no matter who he was with or where he was. And for me, that’s the definition of integrity.”

Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justices Samuel Alito, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett and Ketanji Brown Jackson are all at Washington National Cathedral.

Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch are not attending.

The service puts most of the high court in the same room with President-elect Trump, who has a pending emergency application asking the justices to put on hold his criminal sentencing, which is scheduled for Friday.

Prosecutors filed their brief opposing Trump’s request while the justices were at the service.

Alito has also been in the spotlight over a call he had with Trump earlier this week to discuss a former law clerk being considered for a job in the new administration. The justice said he was unaware at the time that Trump would be filing the application, and it was not discussed.

Former presidents, lawmakers, Supreme Court justices and members of former President Carter’s family are gathered at the Washington National Cathedral for his funeral services Thursday. (Greg Nash)

Former President Obama and President-elect Trump spent several minutes before the funeral services began exchanging pleasantries following years of a longstanding rivalry between the two chief executives.

Cameras captured Trump and Obama at Washington National Cathedral exchanging pleasantries, with Obama laughing at something the incoming president was saying. They appeared to chat for several minutes before the funeral services began.

Read more here.

Stu Eizenstat, a White House adviser to Carter, in a tribute at the funeral described him as a “Renaissance man” and a “man of steel, determination, discipline and self-confidence.”

CNN’s Jake Tapper noted the lack of a “particularly warm greeting” between President Biden and Vice President Harris at Carter’s funeral.

“But again, we are at a funeral, so one has to take that into account when trying to read the body language,” Tapper said during the network’s live coverage.

Harris did not greet anyone before taking her seat with husband Doug Emhoff on Thursday morning at the National Cathedral.

The sons of Carter’s predecessor, former President Gerald Ford and Vice President Walter Mondale, will read tributes that their fathers wrote about Carter. Both men preceded Carter in death.

Steven Ford will read from Gerald Ford’s tribute. Ted Mondale, above, will read from Walter Mondale’s writing.

Steven Ford started, addressing the Carter children: “God did a good thing when me made your dad.”

Joshua Carter started by describing how his grandparents taught Sunday school each Sunday for decades at Marantha Baptist Church, in Plains, Ga., until the COVID pandemic.

“The church was full of people from all over the country,” he said of each Sunday’s class.

The speakers at Thursday’s service include Steven Ford, son of former President Gerald Ford, Ted Mondale, son of former Vice President Walter Mondale, as well as Carter’s son, Jason and former top adviser Stuart Eizenstat.

President Biden will deliver a eulogy, and Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood will perform “Imagine.”

Among the international leaders in attendance is Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who announced on Monday that he would resign his post once a successor has been chosen. (Jacquelyn Martin, Associated Press)

Among the former presidents, first ladies and vice presidents, there are two notable absences: former first lady Michelle Obama and former Vice President Dick Cheney.

President Biden arrived at the cathedral, holding hands with first lady Jill Biden. He sat in the front aisle seat and did not greet any of the other presidents behind him.

When Vice President Harris arrived at the cathedral with second gentleman Doug Emhoff, she also did not greet anyone and sat down in front of the former presidents.

Obama and Trump only briefly stopped their conversation when Vice President Harris, who was seated in front of them, arrived and then started it up again seconds later.

Trump was leaning into Obama and Obama was laughing at certain points. Melania Trump and former first lady Laura Bush, who sat on either side of Obama and Trump, looked forward while the two presidents talked.

The Clintons talked amongst themselves, and Bush appeared to be waving to other attendees.

Former Vice President Dan Quayle, from left, his wife Marilyn Quayle, former Vice President Al Gore and former Vice President Mike Pence are seated before the casket of former President Jimmy Carter arrives for a state funeral at the National Cathedral, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Washington. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post via AP, Pool)

President-elect Trump and incoming first lady Melania Trump arrived in the Cathedral to take their seats.

Gore stood up to shake hands with Trump and then Pence stood up and the two shook hands. Pence and Melania Trump then shook hands before the Trumps sat down, at the far end of an aisle.

Former President Obama then arrived and Pence and Gore stood up to greet him. He sat down next to Trump, who said something to him when he did. Obama and Trump then chatted.

Soon after, Bush arrived and shook hands with Pence and Gore. Obama and Trump appeared to continue their conversation once the Bushes sat down.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) greets Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) at Washington National Cathedral at Jimmy Carter’s funeral on Jan. 9, 2025. (Greg Nash, The Hill)

Vice President-elect JD Vance arrives at former President Carter’s funeral at the Washington National Cathedral on Jan. 9, 2025. (Greg Nash, The Hill)

Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Elena Kagan seen at Washington National Cathedral. Justice Brett Kavanaugh is also in attendance. (Greg Nash, The Hill)