Jimmy Carter funeral reside: Mike Pence’s spouse Karen refuses to shake Trump’s hand at National Cathedral

Former first lady Michelle Obama was conspicuously absent from former Presdient Jimmy Carter’s funeral on Thursday.

Mrs. Obama did not appear with her husband former president Barack Obama, despite other former first ladies making the trip to the Washington National Cathedral to pay their respects.

CNN reported that Obama had ‘scheduling conflicts.’

‘I’m told by her advisors that she has scheduling conflicts,’ CNN reporter Jeff Zeleney said on the network. ‘She’s still in Hawaii.’

By skipping the funeral, Michelle appears to have avoided another encounter with Trump.

Barack Obama was seated next to president-elect Donald Trump for the ceremony.

Mike Pence’s wife Karen snubbed Donald and Melania Trump as the president-elect arrived for the state funeral for former president Jimmy Carter at the National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

The relationship between Trump and his former vice president ruptured over the events of January 6, 2021.

Mike Pence did get up and shake Trump’s hand as he passed by.

However, Karen Pence remained seated in her pew and looked the other way.

She also refused to grab Melania’s outstretched hand in another major snub. She held onto the funeral program and kept looking down.

Martin Torrijos, a foreign Panamanian president with a special connection to Carter, was spotted inside the cathedral.

Carter’s memorial service comes days after Donald Trump once again blasted his administration for putting in place the return of the Panama Canal, calling it a ‘disgrace’ and a ‘terrible thing to do.’

It was Torrijos’ father, former dictator Omar Torrijos, who pushed for the return of the canal during Carter’s administration. The younger Torrijos stressed the canal during his 2004-2009 tenure.

Former Vice President Al Gore mingles with fellow former VPs Mike Pence and Dan Quayle as he arrives for the funeral of late President Jimmy Carter at the National Cathedral in Wasington, D.C.

Gore sat beside former VP Pence, whose other side was occupied by wife and former Second Lady Karen Pence.

The two presidents were seen smiling while engaging in an animated conversation while they waited for Carter’s funeral service to begin.

All eyes are on the front rows at the funeral for former President Jimmy Carter where political rivals are all seated within a few feet of each other.

Front row (from left): President Biden, First Lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff.

Second row (from left): Former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former President George W Bush, former First Lady Laura Bush, former President Barack Obama, President-elect Trump, former First Lady Melania Trump

For a few minutes Obama and Trump were seen leaning in for a conversation. Obama then turned around and was speaking with Trump’s former Vice President Mike Pence and former Second Lady Karen Pence.

When she entered, Harris did not acknowledge Trump seated just over her left shoulder.

President-elect Donald Trump and his former Vice President Mike Pence shook hands at the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter.

It came after former Vice President Al Gore, who was seated next to Pence, rose to shake Trump’s hand and then Pence also offered his hand.

A few words were exchanged during the brief interaction.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter

Just three days after resigning as Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau attended the funeral of late President Jimmy Carter.

The outgoing PM was seen mingling and taking a seat at National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. on Thursday.

This is the first time Trudeau will be in the same room with President-elect Donald Trump since announcing he is stepping down as Canada’s leader.

Trump is largely credited with the reason Trudeau will no longer serve as PM.

Canada’s Liberal Party disagreed with Trudeau on how to handle Trump in his incoming second term.

Former Vice President Mike Pence is in attendance at former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral.

It is a rare moment where Pence is in the same room as President-elect Trump. The pair have not been seen together since they clashed over certifying the 2020 election and the former vice president defied his old boss.

Pence was spotted speaking with fellow former Vice Presidents Al Gore and Dan Quayle.

President Joe Biden is giving a eulogy at Jimmy Carter’s funeral.

Additionally, the eulogies written by former President Gerald Ford and former Vice President Walter Mondale before their own deaths will be read by their sons, Steven Ford and Ted Mondale.

Carter replaced Ford in the White House, defeating him in the 1976 election. But the two men struck up a friendship in their post-presidential years.

Mondale served as Carter’s vice president.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter

The U.S. Postal Services are not operating on Thursday to observe a national day of mourning for President Jimmy Carter.

President Joe Biden declared in an executive order issued on December 30 the closure of federal offices on Thursday, January 9. The day is observed much like a federal holiday for government workers.

All American flags have also been ordered to be lowered at half-staff for the entirety of the day.

Carter’s casket is being transferred from the Capitol to Washington, D.C.’s National Cathedral for his funeral.

Here’s what’s closed and what’s open on Thursday:

U.S. Post Offices: Closed. Mail and packages will not be delivered on January 9 through USPS.

Federal offices and agencies: Most are closed, though some workers are deemed as vital and still are required to perform their duties.

Supreme Court: Closed. Chief Justice John Roberts ordered the high court’s building to be shut down on Thursday in recognition of the national day of mourning.

Stock Markets: Closed. The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq closed trading of all U.S. equities and options.

Banks: Open. National days of mourning do not require businesses or banks to close like a federal holiday normally does. It’s advised, however, that Americans reach out to their local banks to make sure they are operating normally.

National Parks: Open. National Parks and their visitor services will ‘generally be open and available’ on Thursday. The National Park Services administration offices, however, are closed.

All times are in Eastern Time

9 am – Carter’s casket departs the U.S. Capitol. The funeral motorcade travels to Washington National Cathedral.

9:30 am – Carter´s motorcade arrives at Washington National Cathedral.

10 am – The Washington funeral begins. Expected speakers include Steve Ford, reading remarks written by his father, former President Gerald Ford, before his death; Ted Mondale, reading remarks from his father, former Vice President Walter Mondale, before his death; former Carter adviser Stu Eizenstat; Jason Carter, one of Jimmy Carter’s sons; and President Joe Biden.

11:15 am – Carter´s remains and his family depart the cathedral for Joint Base Andrews.

11:45 am – They board Special Air Mission 39, the plane that serves as Air Force One when the sitting president is on board.

2 pm – Special Air Mission 39 arrives at Lawson Army Airfield at Fort Moore, Georgia. Carter´s remains will be transferred to the hearse. Carter and his family then travel to Plains by motorcade.

3:30 pm. – Motorcade arrives at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains.

3:45 pm. – An invitation-only funeral at the church begins.

4:45 pm. – A motorcade takes participants from the church to the Carter residence.

5:20 pm – A U.S. Navy missing man formation conducts a flyover in honor of Carter’s naval service and time as commander in chief, followed by a private graveside ceremony and interment.

President Joe Biden will deliver the eulogy for his fellow Democrat at the Episcopal church that has been a traditional venue for send-offs of US presidents, from Dwight Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan to George H.W. Bush.

Biden revealed in an interview with USA Today published Wednesday that Carter had asked him to do the honors when the pair – longstanding friends – met for the last time four years ago.

‘Carter was a decent man. I think Carter looked at the world not from here but from here, where everybody else lives,’ Biden said as he gestured from above his head towards his heart.

Donald Trump arrived on Capitol Hill on Wednesday with wife Melania for meetings with Republicans and to pay their respects to Jimmy Carter.

The 78-year-old president-elect said it was ‘great’ to be back in Congress before heading into the Capitol Rotunda and for talks with the GOP.

Trump is in Washington D.C. to pay respects to the mourn the late President Carter at his funeral on Thursday.

Read more below

Last month, President Joe Biden broke from his family vacation in the US Virgin Islands to remember Jimmy Carter, recalling his predecessor as a role model and friend whom he described as a ‘remarkable leader’

Watch his comments below:

President Joe Biden will deliver a eulogy for Jimmy Carter today watched on by four other presidents who have served in the White House.

Let’s take a look back at how each of them paid tribute to the 39th president to sit in the Oval Office.

Today, America and the world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman, and humanitarian. He was a man of great character and courage, hope and optimism. We will always cherish seeing him and Rosalynn together. The love shared between Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter is the definition of partnership and their humble leadership is the definition of patriotism.

• Donald Trump

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.

• Barack Obama

Elected in the shadow of Watergate, Jimmy Carter promised voters that he would always tell the truth. And he did — advocating for the public good, consequences be damned. He believed some things were more important than reelection — things like integrity, respect, and compassion. Because Jimmy Carter believed, as deeply as he believed anything, that we are all created in God’s image. Whenever I had a chance to spend time with President Carter, it was clear that he didn’t just profess these values. He embodied them. And in doing so, he taught all of us what it means to live a life of grace, dignity, justice, and service.

• George W. Bush

Laura and I send our heartfelt condolences to Jack, Chip, Jeff, Amy, and the entire Carter family. James Earl Carter, Jr., was 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 behind a better world didn’t end with the presidency. His work with Habitat for Humanity and the Carter Center set an example of service that will inspire Americans for generations.

• Bill Clinton

From his commitment to civil rights as a state senator and governor of Georgia; to his efforts as President to protect our natural resources in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, make energy conservation a national priority, return the Panama Canal to Panama, and secure peace between Egypt and Israel at Camp David; to his post-Presidential efforts at the Carter Center supporting honest elections, advancing peace, combating disease, and promoting democracy; to his and Rosalynn’s devotion and hard work at Habitat for Humanity—he worked tirelessly for a better, fairer world.

Donald Trump arrived on Capitol Hill on Wednesday with wife Melania for meetings with Republicans and to pay their respects to Jimmy Carter.

The 78-year-old president-elect said it was ‘great’ to be back in Congress before heading into the Capitol Rotunda and for talks with the GOP.

Trump is in Washington D.C. to pay respects to the mourn the late President Carter at his funeral on Thursday.

In just 12 days, he will take the oath of office on the steps outside the building and be sworn in, capping off a historic political comeback.

The incoming first couple walked into the Capitol Rotunda and stood by his casket for a moment of silence.

• Watch the video below and read the story by Jon Michael Raasch here

Mandy Moore and Kerry Washington (pictured) led the celebrity tributes to Jimmy Carter after his death was announced

Moore, 40, took to her Instagram Stories sharing an image of the former President, whom she called ‘An exemplary human and humanitarian.’

While Washington, 47, reposted an announcement of Carter’s death from the New York Times to her Instagram.

Piers Morgan also shared a touching tribute, posting a photo of him and Carter on X (formerly known as Twitter).

‘RIP President Jimmy Carter, 100. A remarkable person who was the epitome of the phrase ‘public service.’ I had the honour of interviewing him 3 times, and he was one of the wisest, smartest, most compassionate, modest, and human world leaders I’ve ever met. A great man.’

In November, Jimmy Carter made history, once again, when he became the oldest person ever nominated for a Grammy.

The 100-year-old is up for the award of Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording when the awards are held next month in Los Angeles.

Also nominated in his category are Dolly Parton and Barbara Streisand.

Carter’s album Last Sundays in Plains: A Centennial Celebration is a compilation of Carter’s final Sunday school lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia where he was a popular teacher for decades.

Each of the lessons is accompanied by an acclaimed musician, including Jon Batiste, Keb Mo, Leann Rimes and Darius Rucker.

Carter has previously won three Grammys in the same category.

He won in 2007, 2016 and in 2019, and holds the most Grammy awards by a president with Barack Obama and Bill Clinton winning twice each

• Read the full story by Dailymail.com showbiz reporter Alesia Stanford here

As one of the world’s most distinguished statesmen Jimmy Carter was used to the company of the world’s most powerful figures.

Here’s some photographs looking back at some of his most memorable encounters from meeting the late Queen of the United Kingdom to Cuban dictator Fidel Casto

Queen Elizabeth II with Jimmy Carter at a State Dinner at Buckingham Palace in 1977

Nelson Mandela shakes hands with Jimmy Carter during a ceremony marking his 89th birthday in Johannesburg

President Carter with Gerald Ford and Richard Nixon before attending a memorial service for Senator Hubert H. Humphrey in 1978

President Carter shakes hands with former Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev in Chicago in 2012

Jimmy Carter and Cuban President Fidel Castro listen to the Cuban national anthem at a baseball stadium in Havana in 2002

Jimmy Carter was described by then British prime minister James Callaghan as a ‘breath of fresh air to the western world’ when the US president visited in 1977.

During his trip to the UK, Carter gave a speech in Newcastle, North East England, where he endeared himself to the locals by uttering the local phrase ‘Howay the lads’.

The local newspaper, The Chronicle, reported at the time:

They packed the airport. They packed the streets. They packed the area outside the Civic Centre and they opened their arms to him. And he loved it. A great smile spread across his face at the airport as he was greeted by crowds waving both the Union Jack and the Stars and Stripes.

Watch James Callaghan speak about Jimmy Carter below:

His presidency lasted just four years – but Jimmy Carter, who has died aged 100 – is still remembered for committing one of the biggest breaches of royal protocol ever.

During a stay at Buckingham Palace ahead of a G7 visit in May 1977, having been invited by Queen Elizabeth II, President Carter kissed the Queen Mother, Elizabeth Bowes Lyon, on the lips by way of greeting.

The Queen Mother, who died in March 2002, was not amused by Georgia-born-and-bred Carter’s Southern hospitality.

No images of the offending moment were captured. But the Queen Mother later wrote about the unpleasant encounter, noting how she had seen Carter leaning in for a kiss and had unsuccessfully tried to dodge him.

‘Nobody has done that since my husband died,’ she later said. ‘I took a sharp step backwards – not quite far enough.’

The Queen Mother’s husband, King George VI, died in 1952, meaning Carter had been the first man to kiss her on the lips in 25 years. He was also likely the last.

• Read the full story by Dailymail.com reporter James Gordon here

To the world, Jimmy Carter was a known as the 39th U.S. president, a humanitarian and Nobel Peace Prize winner, but to his grandson Hugo Wentzel, Carter was simply Paw-Paw.

In an interview with DailyMail.com, Wentzel, a bodybuilder, shared new details about his final days and reflected on his inspirational life.

The 25-year-old said that his grandfather could not move around or really speak in the end, but he believes Carter was ‘happy with what he got to accomplish, the people he could help in his life.’

While sad over his grandfather’s passing, Wentzel said Carter was accepting of death in the end.

‘He really, really believes he’s going to heaven, he’s gonna be a better place. That really comforts me too,’ he said.

Wentzel is one of Carter’s 11 grandchildren and son of the late president’s daughter Amy, who was one of the late president’s primary caretakers in the end.

• Read Sarah Ewall-Wice’s exclusive interview with Hugo Wentzel here

Jimmy Carter leaves behind an enormous family, including four children, 11 grandkids, and 14 great-grandchildren.

The 100-year-old 39th President of the United States married his wife, Rosalynn Smith, who died in November 2023 at 96, nearly eight decades ago – in 1946 – and they went on to welcome three sons and one daughter together.

Each of Jimmy’s kids (pictured above in 1979) have had numerous kids of their own, who have also had numerous kids of their own – resulting in him having a total of 29 descendants.

While some of some of the former President’s kids and grandkids have followed in Jimmy’s footsteps and launched their own successful careers in politics, others tried and failed.

• Read more on Jimmy Carter’s survivng family here

They celebrated their 77th wedding anniversary in July 2023 but just four months later Rosalynn passed away peacefully with her family by her side.

Ahead of her funeral, the Carter Center shared a touching poem penned by former President Jimmy Carter (pictured above with Rosalynn in 2018) to his beloved wife which we will share below:

Rosalynn by Jimmy Carter

She’d smile, and birds would feel that they no longer had to sing, or it may be I failed to hear their song.

Within a crowd, I’d hope her glance might be for me, but I knew that she was shy, and wished to be alone.

I’d pay to sit behind her, blind to what was on the screen, and watch the image flicker upon her hair.

I’d glow when her diminished voice would clear my muddled thoughts, like lightning flashing in a gloomy sky.

The nothing in my soul with her aloof was changed to foolish fullness when she came to be with me.

With shyness gone and hair caressed with gray her smile still makes the birds forget to sing and me to hear their song.

In 2023, Jimmy Carter attended the private funeral of his wife Rosalynn at the Maranatha Baptist Church where the family worshipped.

The former president arrived in a wheelchair, wearing a red lei around his neck. He and other family members wore necklaces made of the Hawaiian flowers to honor Rosalynn Carter’s love of Hawaii, where the Carters lived when Jimmy was in the Navy.

Her children paid tribute to her and, in one of the service’s sweetest moments, her great-grandchild Charlie Carter read one line from Ephesians 4:32: ‘Be kind to one another.’ And her great-grandchild Adeline Kane Chuldenko read 1 Corinthians 13:13: ‘So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.’

In the private funeral service, Maranatha Pastor Tony Lowden paid tribute to ‘the life and legacy of the greatest first lady.’

Rosalynn Carter wasn’t ‘just the first lady of the White House,’ he said. ‘She served every nation around the world.’

• Read Emily Goodin’s report here from the time of Rosalynn’s funeral

Jimmy Carter reached the summit of global politics when he was elected President of the United States in 1976.

But it was his marriage to Rosalynn Smith that Carter himself described as the ‘pinnacle’ of his life.

The longest-married couple in U.S. presidential history met when Jimmy was just three-years-old and Rosalynn was a newborn.

They celebrated their 77th wedding anniversary on July 7, 2023. Rosalynn died just four months later.

Despite the challenges of Navy deployments and the ferocity of the spotlight as they entered the White House, the pair remained utterly devoted to each other.

After leaving office, they worked together at the Carter Center, pursuing humanitarian projects, building thousands of affordable homes across the world – an achievement for which Jimmy Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

• Read the full story by Aneeta Bhole here

Carter battled a few health issues over the years, but for a man in his 90s was relatively spry, continuing his work building homes with Habitat for Humanity well into his later years.

In August 2015, he was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma and had a small cancerous mass removed from his liver. It also spread to his brain.

The following year, about six months after the diagnosis, Carter announced that he needed no further treatment, as an experimental drug had eliminated any sign of cancer.

A few years later, in 2019, when Carter was 95, he helped build a home in Nashville for Habitat for Humanity.

Only a handful of former presidents have lived past 90 years, including Ronald Reagan, Carter’s successor, who lived to be 93.

Carter’s grandson Jason tweeted in February that he visited his grandparents, saying they ‘are at peace and — as always — their home is full of love.’

The Navy veteran’s dedication to philanthropy meant he quickly became one of the most beloved figures in American politics.

In 1982, two years after he lost his re-election bid to Ronald Reagan, he set up The Carter Center, a non-profit group aimed at promoting human rights and alleviating suffering across the world.

In 2002, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition for his decades long work of seeking peace to international conflicts.

One of his final public appearances was to celebrate his 100th birthday on October 1, surrounded by family and friends at his Georgia home.

He also cast his vote for Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.

Throughout his life, Jimmy Carter became known as one of the world’s most recognisable statesman meeting countless political leaders and royals along the way.

Let’s take a look back at these photographs which document his most memorable encounters while he was US president.

Carter meets with Zimbabwean Prime Minister Robert Mugabe in 1980

Carter and USSR Secretary General Leonid Brezhnev in 1979 before the signing of a nuclear arms treaty in Vienna

Carter (C) with Egyptian President Anwar al Sadat (L) and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin during peace negotiations at Camp David in 1978

President Carter was elected US president in 1976 narrowly beating Republican Gerald Ford, the sitting president at the time.

His victory marked the first for the Democrats since 1964 when Lyndon Johnson defeated Barry Goldwater.

But Carter’s four years in the White House were blighted by an oil crisis that forced Americans to line up for gas and the Iran hostage situation that stretched into the final moments of his administration before Ronald Reagan took over.

While president, he established two new cabinet-level departments: the Department of Energy and the Department of Education.

He installed solar panels on the roof of the White House – only for Ronald Reagan to later take them down.

Both during and after his presidency, he became known as an international human rights champion.

With Carter’s death, there are now only five living presidents – Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, now President-elect Donald Trump and current President Joe Biden.

Carter was born on October 1, 1924, with the rarely-used full name James Earl Carter, Jr. and was raised during the Great Depression.

The son of a Georgia peanut farmer, he said that farming, talk of politics, and devotion to the Baptist faith were pillars of his upbringing.

Carter (pictured above at the age of 13) graduated from the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1946 and married Rosalynn Smith shortly afterward.

Jimmy Carter served seven years as a Naval Officer before returning to Georgia, where he entered state politics in 1962.

Eight years later, he was elected governor of Georgia.

Read more here on how Carter rose from humble beginnings all the way to the White House.

Carter died at the age of 100 on December 29 at around 3:40pm.

The centenarian had been receiving end-of-life care at his home in Plains, Georgia, where his wife Rosalyn also died on November 19, 2023.

The Democrat former peanut farmer, who served one term in the White House from 1977 to 1981 and dedicated the rest of his life to charity, decided against more medical treatment and entered hospice in February 2023 after a string of hospital stays.

At 100 years old, he was the longest-lived former president in America’s history.

His death was announced by his son Chip, 74, who said:

My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love. 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.

He is survived by his children — Jack, Chip, Jeff, and Amy; 11 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.

Carter becomes the sixth American president to be given an official state funeral at the United States Capitol as the nation prepares to honor its late commander-in-chief.

President Joe Biden announced there will be a national day of mourning for Carter on January 9, coinciding with his funeral. The day is typically held several days after the president’s death.

Richard Nixon’s took place five days after his death, Gerald Ford’s was a week following his to coincide with his funeral, George H.W. Bush’s was four days after he died and Reagan was six days.

Presidential funerals traditionally last five days and come in three different stages, with ceremonies held in the president’s home state and then Washington, before concluding where the deceased has chosen to be buried.

Carter has long planned to be buried next to his late wife of 77 years, Rosalyn Carter, at the Plains, Georgia home they shared, according to People News.

The sitting president and his family are considered in charge of planning the funeral ceremonies. The Washington portion of the state funeral occurs at the Washington National Cathedral.

The funeral usually ends in a procession down Pennsylvania Avenue, where the White House is located.

Honor guards form a rifle party and fire a three-volley salute over the gravesite, according to Reader’s Digest.

Then, the body will be sent back to Georgia for the burial.

Carter’s flag-draped casket arrived at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Tuesday afternoon where it was transferred to a hearse by a military cordon during an arrival ceremony.

His casket was then transferred to a horse-drawn caisson during a procession at the U.S. Navy Memorial as members of the Carter family accompanied Carter’s body on its final journey to the U.S. Capitol.

People stood along the snow-lined streets to watch the emotional procession as the casket made its way through Washington.

Some mourners held signs expressing their love for the late president.

Carter’s body has lied in state at the Capitol Rotunda ahead of the state funeral at the National Cathedral in Washington.

Hello and welcome to our live coverage as former US president Jimmy Carter is honoured in Washington at his state funeral following his death last month.

The 39th president to serve in the White House died at the age of 100 after an extraordinary life of service inside and outside of politics.

His state funeral marks a national day of mourning as Carter is remembered by Americans in Washington before he is laid to rest in Georgia.

Stick with our coverage as we guide you through the day with our reporters in London and New York plus the most striking pictures and video from the service.