Getty ImagesJoe Biden and Donald Trump have paid tribute to former US president and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jimmy Carter, who has died at the age of 100.
Carter, who outlived any president in history, He died on Sunday afternoon At his home in the plains of Georgia.
Biden described him as a “man of principle, faith and humility,” while Trump said all Americans owe Carter a “debt of gratitude.”
Carter rose from a peanut farmer to president in 1977, before being forced out of the White House after just one four-year term when Ronald Reagan won the next election.
After leaving the White House with low approval ratings, his reputation was restored through humanitarian work that earned him the Nobel Peace Prize.
“Today, America and the world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and philanthropist,” President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden said in a statement.
He added, “For all the young people of this nation and for anyone who is searching for what it means to live a life of purpose and meaning—the good life—study Jimmy Carter, who taught principles, faith, And a man of humility.”
“He showed that we are a great nation because we are a good people – civilized and honorable, brave and compassionate, humble and strong.”
Biden announced that Jan. 9 would be a national day of mourning, encouraging Americans to visit places of worship to pay “respect” to the late president.
He also ordered flags to be flown at half-mast on all government and military buildings for 30 days, including the inauguration of President-elect Trump.
Trump posted on TruthSocial: “The challenges Jamie faced as president came at a critical time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans.” .
“For that, we are all grateful.”
Trump mocked Carter’s single term during the campaign before winning this year’s presidential election, and previously described him in 2019: “He’s a good guy. He was a terrible president.”
It came after Carter called Trump an “illegitimate president,” and claimed that Russian interference in the 2016 election helped him into the White House, which Moscow and Trump deny.
World leaders also paid tribute to Carter.
“Her dedication and humility served as an inspiration to many, and I remember her visit to Britain in 1977 with great fondness,” said King Charles III.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Carter was “inspired by his strong convictions and values” and that he “renewed his post-presidency with a remarkable commitment to social justice and human rights at home and abroad.” Determined by.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Carter was “a leader who served at a time when Ukraine was not yet independent, yet his heart is firmly with us in our ongoing fight for independence”.
French President Emmanuel Macron said he “has been a staunch advocate for the rights of the most vulnerable and has fought tirelessly for peace.”
Before becoming president in 1977, Carter, a Democrat, was governor of Georgia, a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy and a farmer.
Carter’s presidency will be remembered for his struggle to deal with severe economic problems and a number of foreign policy challenges, including the Iran hostage crisis, which ended with the deaths of eight Americans.
However, there was a notable foreign policy victory in the Middle East when he helped sign an agreement between Egypt and Israel at Camp David in the United States in 1978.
But that seemed a distant memory two years later, when voters overwhelmingly elected Republican Ronald Reagan, portraying the president as a weak leader with inflation and interest rates at near-record highs. Couldn’t handle it.
Carter lost the 1980 election by a landslide, winning only six US states except Washington, DC.
After leaving the White House, he became the first and only president to return full-time to the home he lived in before politics — a modest, two-bedroom ranch-style home.
He chose not to pursue the lucrative after-dinner speeches and publishing deals that awaited most former presidents. telling the Washington Post in 2018that he never really wanted to be rich.
Instead, he spent his remaining years trying to solve global problems of inequality and disease.
He founded the Carter Center in 1982 to advance his vision of global diplomacy, and won the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts with the foundation to promote human rights worldwide.
He, along with Nelson Mandela, founded The Elders, a group of world leaders committed to working for peace and human rights.
Getty ImagesCarter is survived by his four children, 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
His wife, Roselyn, to whom he was married for 77 years, died in November 2023.
Announcing his death, Carter’s son Chip said his father was “a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights and selfless love”.
“My brothers, sisters, and I shared it with the rest of the world through these shared beliefs. The world is our family the way it brought people together.”
2018 and since the death of George HW Bush, Carter was the oldest US president.
Carter stopped medical treatment last year for an undisclosed illness and instead began hospice care at her home. He suffered from health problems, including melanoma that had spread to his liver and brain.
Another leading tribute came from Barack Obama, who reflected on his time with Carter, saying “she taught us all what it means to live a life of grace, dignity, justice and service.” .
Maranatha Baptist Church on the Plains, where Carter taught Sunday school well into his 90s, “will be a little quieter on Sundays,” Obama said.
“But President Carter will never be gone – buried next to Roselyn by the willow tree down the road, his memory calling us all to pay attention to our better angels.”
Former US President Bill Clinton and his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, also spoke of Carter’s faith.
“President Carter lived to serve others — to the end,” he said in a statement.