The social network With less than a month until President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, the 30-day official mourning will see the American flag fly at half-staff on Jan. 20, when the Republican officially assumes the presidency, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs, as is required after the death of a former president. Public funerals will be held in Atlanta and Washington.
President Joe Biden has said the United States and the world have lost “an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian.” “For six decades, we had the honor of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend. But what is extraordinary about Jimmy Carter is that millions of people across America and the world who never met him also considered him a dear friend.” Biden has said he will order an official state funeral to be held in Washington.
From across the political spectrum, two reactions were awaited with interest: that of Vice President Kamala Harris, and that of the president-elect, who mocked him that same day, last October 1, but today was forced to surrender to the evidence that the majority of members of his party have closed ranks in the duel with the Democrats, without political differences. Trump was no less and, in a message published on his social network Truth Socialwrote: “I just learned of the death of President Carter. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to serve as presidents know that it is a very exclusive club and only we can identify with the enormous responsibility of leading the greatest nation in history,” the post begins. After the self-aggrandizement, he continues: “The challenges Jimmy faced as president came at a crucial time for our country and he did everything he could to improve the lives of Americans. For this reason, we owe him a debt of gratitude.”
Trump’s reaction does not make us forget, however, how he mocked the centenarian former president on October 1, when, during a campaign rally in Wisconsin that coincided with the , he called Joe Biden the worst president in the history of the United States. to mention the former president: “Jimmy Carter is the happiest man in the world because he is considered a brilliant president compared to the worst president, Joe Biden.” That is to say, according to Trump, thanks to Biden and his “catastrophic” mandate, Carter ceased to be, in his particular rankingthe worst president in history. Much more laconic than Trump, his number two, JD Vance, turned to X to remind him: “Jimmy Carter dedicated his life to serving this country. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones.”
Vice President Kamala Harris broke the discretion and silence that has surrounded her since her electoral defeat to praise the former president in a statement, who she said “reminded our nation and the world that there is strength in decency and compassion.” “I had the privilege of knowing President Carter for years. “I will always remember her kindness, wisdom, and profound grace,” Harris writes. “His life and legacy continue to inspire me and will inspire generations to come. “Our world is a better place because of President Carter.”
The farewell of former Republican President George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush was much warmer than that of Trump and Vance. In a statement, they called Carter “a man of deeply held convictions.” “He was loyal to his family, his community and his country. President Carter dignified the office. And his efforts to leave a better world did not end with his presidency,” the couple said. Former Vice President Mike Pence also went beyond the message of circumstances, number two during Trump’s first term, referring to Carter as a “truly good and great man,” from his service in the United States Navy, to his time as governor and president. “Jimmy Carter lived his Christian faith and values with integrity and devotion. “His work on humanitarian causes at home and abroad touched the lives of millions of people and will inspire generations,” Pence wrote.
Former President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, said in a statement that Carter “worked tirelessly for a better, more just world.” Clinton has highlighted his work on issues such as civil rights, the protection of nature, the signing of peace between Egypt and Israel and the return of Egypt to the Central American country. “Guided by his faith, President Carter lived to serve others, until the end,” the text reads.
Mitch McConnell, current Senate minority leader and Republican classic —from those before Trump and the MAGA movement—, affirmed that “Jimmy Carter’s character and commitment, like his crops, were fruits of the soil of all Americans. After each season in which life took him to high service far from home, he returned home again, determined to harness his unique experiences and influence to help others.”
The minority leader in the House of Representatives, Democrat Hakeem Jeffries, has thanked the legacy and leadership of his co-religionist. “He was a great man, a great role model and with a great humanitarian spirit. May President Carter forever rest in peace,” Jeffries wrote in X.
His fellow Georgia member, Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff, stated that “the State of Georgia and the United States are better places thanks to President Jimmy Carter.”
Georgia Republicans without exception shared their condolences on social media, praising Carter’s legacy of public service and humanitarian work. “If we all strived to live half the life of service to the Lord and our fellow men as Jimmy Carter, the world would be a much better place,” said House Member Richard McCormick of Georgia’s 6th District. McCormick added that the former president was “a man of faith” who served the country in many ways.
Josh McKoon, chairman of the Georgia Republican Party, said in a statement that Carter was “a man whose dedication to public service and humanitarian efforts left an indelible mark” on the nation and the world. The politician said that, although both could Having differed in their convictions, Carter’s “legacy will continue to inspire future generations to serve others and fight for a better world.”
Many Arab observers, such as the historian Assal Rad, have recalled the frankness with which Carter referred to the Palestinian question. Quite a few posted on the networks a clip of his statements from 2007 in which he equated the segregation of Palestinians with apartheid from South Africa: “The word apartheid “It is completely accurate, much worse than it was in South Africa by the way… They are absolutely and totally separated… The Israelis completely dominate the lives of the Palestinian people,” Carter said then. “Americans don’t want to know, there are powerful political forces in the United States that prevent any objective analysis.”
