TO THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES: It is my solemn duty to announce officially the death of James Earl Carter, Jr., the thirty-ninth President of the United States, on December 29, 2024.
Following his Presidency, President Carter advanced an agenda that elevated the least among us.
Through his extraordinary moral leadership, President Carter lived a noble life full of meaning and purpose.
The love Rosalynn and President Carter shared is the definition of partnership, and their devotion to public service is the definition of patriotism.
I call on the American people to assemble on that day in their respective places of worship, there to pay homage to the memory of President James Earl Carter, Jr.
TO THE UNITED STATES PEOPLE:.
It is my grave responsibility to formally announce James Earl Carter, Jr.’s passing. President of the United States, the 29th, on December 29, 2024.
A man of integrity, bravery, and empathy, President Carter’s career of service established him as one of the most significant leaders in our nation’s history. He was a modest servant of God and the people, personifying the best of America. A brave defender of human rights and world peace, as well as a respectable leader whose moral clarity and optimistic outlook uplifted our country and transformed the world.
As a cadet at the US Naval Academy in 1943, President Carter—the son of a farmer and a nurse—began his extraordinary career in public service. After serving in the Atlantic and Pacific fleets, he was chosen to join the prestigious nuclear submarine program and rose to the rank of decorated lieutenant.
Following his father’s passing, he left active duty to join the Navy Reserve and went back to Plains, Georgia, to assist in running his family’s peanut farm. As a Sunday school teacher, hospital and library board member, and church deacon, he led his community while diligently caring for the land. His strong religious convictions fueled his enthusiasm for public service, which helped him win the positions of State Senator, 76th Governor of Georgia, and President of the United States.
As President, he recognized that the people must be the best representatives of the government, and his faith in the people was as unbounded as his faith in America and his hope for our shared future.
The current Department of Energy and the Department of Education were established under President Carter’s direction. He signed the Panama Canal treaties, mediated the historic 1978 Camp David Accords, led on nuclear nonproliferation, and promoted conservation. His foreign policy was centered on his dedication to a more equitable world. Subsequent administrations aimed to emulate his collaboration with Vice President Walter Mondale.
President Carter’s post-presidency agenda aimed to improve the lot of the poor. With a steadfast faith in the potential of human goodness and the inherent worth of every individual, he dedicated his life to promoting peace, eliminating illness, providing shelter for the homeless, and defending freedom, democracy, and human rights all across the world.
President Carter led an honorable life as a result of his exceptional moral leadership. Additionally, he guided people through both happy and painful times as a dependable spiritual leader, inspiring them with the strength of his example and healing them with the strength of his counsel.
We remember President Carter’s wife of more than 77 years, Rosalynn, with great sadness as we grieve his passing. She and her husband served as an inspiration to the nation, embodying warmth, hope, and service. Rosalynn and President Carter’s love for one another is the epitome of partnership, and their commitment to public service is the epitome of patriotism.
I hope that the memory of President Carter will always serve as a beacon for our future. May his spirit continue to lead us both domestically and internationally.
At this point, I, Joseph R. Biden Jr. President of the United States of America, by the power granted to me by the Constitution and U.S. laws, in remembrance of President James Earl Carter, Jr. As a sign of public grief, I hereby order that, for 30 days following his passing, the American flag be flown at half-staff at the White House, on all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all Federal Government naval vessels in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions. I further mandate that, for the same period of time, all U.S. representatives abroad must make comparable arrangements to fly the flag at half-staff over their embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities, including all military installations, naval ships, and stations.
I thus direct that, in accordance with the Secretary of Defense’s directives, appropriate honors be bestowed by Armed Forces units.
I also declare that January 9, 2025, will be observed nationwide as a National Day of Mourning. To honor President James Earl Carter, Jr., I urge the American people to gather in their respective houses of worship on that day. I’m inviting everyone who is grieving with us to join us in this solemn observance.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, on this twenty-ninth day of December, in the year of our Lord 2204 and the United States of America’s 249th Independence, I have written my name on this document.
BIDEN, Joseph R.
