Former President Jimmy Carter‘s casket is being transferred Tuesday to Washington, D.C., for the next phase of his state funeral.
Carter has been lying in repose in Atlanta, as part of six days of observances that began Saturday with a service at his boyhood home in Plains, Georgia. The Carter Center said Tuesday morning that more than 23,000 people came to pay their respects to the former president.
“This is somebody from a small town in south Georgia who was a peanut farmer who ultimately became the president of the United States,” said Carter’s grandson, Jason Carter, at the Plains service on Saturday. “It’s a pretty remarkable American story.”
Carter, the 39th president, died on Dec. 29 at the age of 100 — living longer than any president in U.S. history. His beloved wife of 77 years, Rosalynn, died in November 2023.
On Tuesday, Carter’s body will be flown from Atlanta to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, where his casket will be transferred with ceremony to a hearse. From there, a motorcade will proceed to the U.S. Navy Memorial, where his casket will then be transferred from a hearse to a horse-drawn caisson with ceremony.
Erik S. Lesser / AP
The caisson will travel to the U.S. Capitol, where Carter’s casket will be carried up the stairs into the Rotunda by military body bearers. Members of Congress will be able to pay their respects during a service.
Beginning Tuesday afternoon, Carter will lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda until Thursday, when his funeral service will be held at the National Cathedral before his remains are flown back to Georgia. President Biden is will be delivering a eulogy at Thursday’s service, along with several others. President-elect Donald Trump said he will attend.
There will be a final private service in Plains, and Carter will be buried next to Rosalynn Carter at his family’s peanut farm.
Full schedule of Tuesday’s events (all times Eastern):
- 9:30 a.m.: Public visitation ends.
- 11:30 a.m.: President Carter leaves the Carter Presidential Center for the final time with a departure ceremony. The family then accompanies the remains to Dobbins Air Reserve Base outside Atlanta.
- 12:10 p.m.: Arrive at Dobbins Air Reserve Base for departure ceremony.
- 12:45 p.m.: The family and President Carter’s remains board Special Air Mission 39 and depart for Washington.
- 2:15 p.m.: Special Air Mission 39 arrives at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, where President Carter’s remains will be transferred with ceremony to a hearse.
- 2:45 p.m.: The family and President Carter’s remains will then travel by motorcade to the U.S. Navy Memorial.
- 3:30 p.m.: The remains are transferred from the hearse to a horse-drawn caisson for a procession to the U.S. Capitol. Military body bearers will carry the casket into the Capitol Rotunda.
- 4:30 p.m.: Members of Congress will pay their respects during a service in the Rotunda.
- 7 p.m.-midnight: President Carter will lie in state while the military maintains a guard of honor. The public is invited to pay their respects throughout these hours.
