Jimmy Carter’s state funeral to be held on January 9

The state funeral for former President Jimmy Carter will be held on Jan. 9 in Washington, D.C, according to a presidential declaration by President Biden.

Mr. Biden also said on Sunday night that Jan. 9, 2025, will be declared a National Day of Mourning for Carter, who died earlier in the day at the age of 100. 

“I call on the American people to assemble on that day in their respective places of worship, there to pay homage to the memory of President James Earl Carter, Jr.,” Mr. Biden said in a statement. “I invite the people of the world who share our grief to join us in this solemn observance.”

Mr. Biden declared that all American flags be flown at half-staff for 30 days at all federal buildings, military posts and naval stations, as well as on all naval vessels. 

What is a state funeral?

Mr. Biden said there will be a “major service” in Washington, D.C., to honor Carter. 

The state funeral is part of a seven-to-10 day affair, which will consist of three stages. The first stage involves memorials and ceremonies in the state where the former president once lived — in Georgia, where he lived most of his life. 

The next stage involves 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 ceremonies in the state where the former president has chosen to be interred. 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 is also likely to attend. 

Former presidents and former first ladies usually attend the funerals of a fellow 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 not yet announced 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 H.W. Bush, who died in 2018 while Trump was in the White House. Trump attended the Washington, D.C., service for Bush along with Melania Trump. 

Trump issued two statements on Sunday night about Carter, saying “we all owe him a debt of gratitude.”