President-elect Donald Trump shared a surprisingly sentimental tribute to former President Jimmy Carter after his passing Sunday at 100, writing that “we all owe him a debt of gratitude.”
Taking to Truth Social, Trump wrote: “I just heard of the news about the passing of President Jimmy Carter. Those of us who have been fortunate to have served as President understand this is a very exclusive club, and only we can relate to the enormous responsibility of leading the Greatest Nation in History.
“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,” he continued. “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.”
President Jimmy Carter addressing a town meeting. / Bettmann / Contributor / Getty Images
Carter’s son, Chip, confirmed to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that his father died in his home in Plains, Georgia at 3:45 pm after having entered hospice care in February 2023.
Trump’s stance on Carter has notoriously been fickle, with the president-elect mocking him as recently as two months ago on his 100th birthday in October while campaigning in Waunakee, Wisconsin.
At the time, Trump called President Joe Biden the “worst” president in U.S. history and said that “Jimmy Carter is the happiest man because Jimmy Carter is considered a brilliant president in comparison.”
During the campaign, Carter made his support for Trump’s opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, abundantly clear, repeatedly reiterating that he intended to vote for her throughout her campaign.
“He’s plugged in,” Chip told The Associated Press in October. “I asked him two months ago if he was trying to live to be 100, and he said, ‘No, I’m trying to live to vote for Kamala Harris.’”
