Washington: Incumbent US President Joe Biden and US President-elect Donald Trump offered condolences over the death of former US President Jimmy Carter.
Carter, the 39th US president who served 1977 to 1981, has died at the age of 100. He was the Nobel Peace Prize winner and the longest-living US president.
“With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us. He saved, lifted, and changed the lives of people all across the globe,” Biden said in a statement released by the White House.
The US president stressed that he and his wife Jill Biden had considered Carter a close friend for six decades, adding that millions of people around the world who had never met the former president also perceived him as a close person.
Biden also noted Carter’s exceptional character and his deep affection for his wife Rosalynn, calling them “the definition of partnership.”
“We will miss them both dearly, but take solace knowing they are reunited once again and will remain forever in our hearts,” he added.
The American leader also announced a state funeral for Carter in Washington.
“To honor a great American, I will be ordering an official state funeral to be held in Washington D.C. for James Earl Carter, Jr., 39th President of the United States, 76th Governor of Georgia, Lieutenant of the United States Navy, graduate of the United States Naval Academy, and favorite son of Plains, Georgia, who gave his full life in service to God and country,” Biden concluded.
US President-elect Donald Trump stressed that all Americans owed Carter “a debt of gratitude.”
“Melania and I are thinking warmly of the Carter Family and their loved ones during this difficult time. We urge everyone to keep them in their hearts and prayers,” Trump added.
