Former President Jimmy Carter died on Sunday at age 100 after over a year in hospice care in Plains, Georgia, the Carter Center announced.
Prior to his passing, Carter was subjected to several brief hospital visits over the past few years and chose to forgo additional medical attention in February 2023.
“My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love,” Chip Carter, his son, said in a statement. “My brothers, sister, and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs. The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honoring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs.”
“There will be public observances in Atlanta and Washington, D.C., followed by a private interment in Plains, Georgia,” the Carter Center said in a statement on Sunday. “The final arrangements for President Carter’s state funeral, including all public events and motorcade routes, are still pending.”
Reactions to Carter’s death from members across the political spectrum began soon after his passing was announced.
President-elect Trump reacted on his Truth Social platform on Sunday. “The challenges Jimmy faced as President came at a pivotal 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,” Trump wrote.
President Joe Biden said on Sunday that Carter was “an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian.” “He saved, lifted, and changed the lives of people all across the globe. He was a man of great character and courage, hope and optimism. We will always cherish seeing him and Rosalynn together,” Biden said in a statement.
Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton responded to the news of Carter’s death in a joint statement on Sunday. “I will always be proud to have presented the Medal of Freedom to him and Rosalynn in 1999, and to have worked with him in the years after he left the White House,” the former president said.
Republican Utah Sen. Mike Lee celebrated Carter’s Christian faith and humanitarian acts in a Sunday post on X.” From providing housing for thousands of families to Sunday school for the children of his community, he will remain distinguished among America’s leaders for his great humanitarian accomplishments and deep commitment to his Christian faith,” Lee wrote.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer praised Carter’s years of service and generosity. “As we remember President Carter’s extraordinary life, we also honor the countless lives he touched through his vision and generosity, Schumer wrote on X. “My thoughts are with the Carter family and all those mourning this incredible man. May his memory be a blessing and an enduring reminder of what it means to truly serve.”
“As Jimmy Carter is reunited with his beloved Rosalynn, our thoughts and prayers are with their children, Jack, Chip, Jeff, and Amy, their grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and the millions of Americans whose lives were touched by his service,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a press release on Sunday.
The former president had previously suffered from several health complications, including cancer, various falls and a brain bleed. Jason Carter told CNN on May 14 that his grandfather’s time was “coming to the end,” and another grandson, Josh, told People in mid-August 2023 that “we’re in the final chapter.”
The Carter Center also announced in May 2023 that Rosalynn Carter, a staunch advocate of mental health, was diagnosed with dementia, and later entered into hospice care in mid-November. The 96-year-old former first lady passed away days later at their home in Georgia.
Carter was the 39th president of the U.S.; he was elected in 1976 after defeating then-President Gerald Ford and served the country for one term until 1981. He also served as Georgia’s 76th governor from 1971 to 1975 as a member of the Democratic Party.
The Carter administration’s accomplishments included the Panama Canal treaties, the improving of U.S. relations with China, as well as programs and initiatives under the new Departments of Energy and Education. He established The Carter Center after his presidency, a humanitarian nongovernmental organization.
Carter’s presidency faced several major challenges, like the Iran hostage crisis, decreased energy production and inflation, according to Reuters. He overwhelmingly lost his reelection bid to Ronald Reagan in 1980.
Following his presidency, Carter was involved in numerous philanthropic and public service efforts. He engaged in “conflict mediation” in numerous countries worldwide and led efforts to eradicate Guinea worm disease, according to The Carter Center. Carter and his wife volunteered annually for Habitat for Humanity, and Carter taught Sunday School at Maranatha Baptist Church of Plains.
In 2002, Carter received the Nobel Peace Prize “for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.”
Carter was the longest living president in history, and he and his wife held the record for the longest first-couple marriage. He was born in Plains, Georgia, on Oct. 1, 1924, and attended the Naval Academy before working on the first class of nuclear submarines.
Featured Image Credit: Commonwealth Club from San Francisco, San Jose, United States
