All Five Living U.S. Presidents Come Together for Jimmy Carter's Funeral
- The Humor Stop
- Jan 9
- 2 min read
All five living U.S. presidents gathered for Jimmy Carter’s funeral at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, a rare and significant occasion. This marks the first time these leaders have come together publicly since 2018.
Attendees included President Joe Biden, President-elect Donald Trump, and former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton. Biden, who is delivering a eulogy for the 39th president, was seated in the front row alongside First Lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff.
Behind them sat Bill and Hillary Clinton, followed by George W. and Laura Bush, Barack Obama, Donald and Melania Trump. Before the ceremony, Obama and Trump were seen chatting and even sharing a few smiles. Former First Lady Michelle Obama did not attend.
Also present were former Vice Presidents Al Gore and Mike Pence, who shared a handshake with Trump as they arrived.
During the service, Steven Ford, the son of President Gerald Ford, read a tribute from his father. In the message, Ford humorously noted that "two presidents in a room is one too many," a comment that elicited laughter from the five presidents in attendance.
The gathering of these five presidents, from different political parties, was notable as many have been rivals in the past. Their last such public meeting was at the funeral of George H.W. Bush in December 2018, where Carter and his wife Rosalynn were also present.
To date, eleven U.S. presidents have had state funerals, according to the Congressional Research Service. These events often include military honors, a lying-in-state ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda, and a memorial service, commonly held at the National Cathedral.
While former presidents typically come together for inaugurations, Trump chose not to attend Joe Biden’s inauguration in 2021. Carter, then 96, also skipped the event, marking the first time since his presidency that he did not participate in an inauguration.
