President-elect Donald Trump mentioned this week he plans to attend former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral following a historical past of mutual criticism.
Carter, who died on Dec. 29 on the age of 100, will probably be honored with a state funeral at Washington Nationwide Cathedral on Thursday, Jan. 9. President Joe Biden is anticipated to ship the eulogy.
“I will be there. We had been invited,” Trump instructed reporters on Tuesday night time, although he declined to say if he’d spoken with any members of the Carter household.
Trump’s attendance on the funeral will come after years of public sniping between Trump and Carter, together with Trump’s current jabs at Carter on the 2024 marketing campaign path.
Although after the thirty ninth president’s passing, Trump issued a press release praising Carter’s service to the nation.
“The challenges Jimmy confronted as President got here at a pivotal time for our nation and he did every thing in his energy to enhance the lives of all People. For that, all of us owe him a debt of gratitude,” Trump wrote. “Melania and I are pondering warmly of the Carter Household and their family members throughout this troublesome time. We urge everybody to maintain them of their hearts and prayers.”
President-elect Donald Trump and his spouse Melania Trump arrive on New 12 months’s Eve at his Mar-A-Lago Membership on December 31, 2024 in Palm Seashore, Florida.
Eva Marie Uzcategui/Getty Pictures
In one other publish, Trump counseled Carter as a “really good man” and praised his humanitarian work post-presidency.
“Whereas I strongly disagreed with him philosophically and politically, I additionally realized that he really cherished and revered our Nation, and all it stands for. He labored onerous to make America a greater place, and for that I give him my highest respect,” Trump wrote of Carter. “He was a very good man and, after all, will probably be enormously missed. He was additionally very consequential, way over most Presidents, after he left the Oval Workplace.”
However beforehand, Trump had labelled Carter because the nation’s “worst president.”
Trump additionally repeatedly criticized Carter as he lashed out at President Joe Biden when the 2 had been opponents within the 2024 race earlier than Biden dropped out.
“Crooked Joe Biden is the worst president within the historical past of our nation. He is probably the most incompetent and he is probably the most corrupt president within the historical past of our nation,” Trump mentioned final January as he ramped up marketing campaign occasions. “And it isn’t even shut. The truth is, I mentioned, as we speak, the happiest particular person alive as we speak is Jimmy Carter as a result of his presidency seems sensible. Good by comparability.”
Carter, who had been in hospice care since early 2023, was out of the general public eye throughout the presidential race however his household mentioned he was making an attempt to dwell till he may solid his poll for Vice President Kamala Harris — which he did in mid-October.
Throughout the presidential transition, Trump’s denounced a signature achievement of Carter’s presidency — the Panama Canal Treaty that gave the Central American nation eventual management of the essential waterway. Trump not too long ago mentioned the U.S. “foolishly” ceded the Panama Canal and instructed his incoming administration would possibly attempt to regain management of it.
Former President Jimmy Carter seems on Good Morning America, Dec. 4, 2001.
Ida Mae Astute/ABC Information
Throughout Trump’s first time period, Carter did not mince phrases when discussing what he considered his presidency.
Carter instructed the Washington Submit in 2018, “I believe he is a catastrophe.”
“In human rights and taking good care of folks and treating folks equal,” Carter mentioned of Trump.
Carter additionally casted doubt at one level on Trump’ s 2016 victory, suggesting {that a} full investigation into Russian election interference would present Trump “did not truly win.” Trump hit again to these feedback by saying Cater was “a pleasant man” however “a horrible president” who was “trashed” by his personal occasion.
Although notably the 2 males spoke in 2019 when Trump referred to as Carter to debate China and commerce negotiations. Previous to the decision, Carter had despatched a “stunning” letter to Trump sharing some recommendation on the diplomatic relationship between the U.S. and Beijing, Trump’s White Home mentioned on the time.
