USA Former US President Jimmy Carter dead at the age of 100
Former US President Jimmy Carter is dead. The 39th President of the United States died on Sunday in Plains, Georgia, surrounded by his family, according to Carter's foundation. Carter was 100 years old. He ruled the White House from 1977 to 1981.
30.12.2024, 00:12
SDA
Carter is survived by four children, 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. "My father was a hero - not just to me, but to all who believe in peace, human rights and selfless love," the foundation quoted Carter's son Chip as saying. Public memorial services are planned in Atlanta and the US capital Washington.
Difficult presidency - later peacemaker
The Democrat was not re-elected after his first term in office. He lost the election to the Republican Ronald Reagan. In 2002, Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his "decades-long commitment to the peaceful resolution of international conflicts".
Carter's time in office was overshadowed above all by the hostage-taking of diplomats in the US embassy in Tehran in 1979 and the failed rescue operation the following year. After leaving the presidency, Carter and his wife Rosalynn founded the Carter Center in Atlanta to promote democracy, human rights and economic development. He remained actively involved in humanitarian work into old age.
Carter was the oldest living former US president, and none of his predecessors reached a higher age than him. His wife Rosalynn, to whom he was married for 77 years, died just over a year before him.
"Compassion and moral clarity"
US President Joe Biden paid tribute to Carter as a "man of great character and courage, hope and optimism". With compassion and moral clarity, he had worked to eradicate disease, promote peace, civil and human rights, free and fair elections, the homeless and the poorest. "He has saved, improved and changed the lives of people all over the world."
Biden's designated successor Donald Trump also paid tribute to the ex-president. In a challenging time, Carter had "done everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans". Everyone owes him a great debt of gratitude for this. Contrary to custom, Carter had also repeatedly criticized subsequent presidents - including the Republican Trump.
Last years marked by illness
Carter's health was recently poor. In February 2023, after several hospital stays, he discontinued his medical treatment and went into home care. 100 years old on October 1. In November, he fulfilled his wish and voted by mail in the US presidential election. Carter had previously made it clear to Biden that he wanted to support the Democrat Kamala Harris.
The oldest living successor to Carter is now the current incumbent Biden (November 20, 1942), followed by Donald Trump (June 14, 1946), George W. Bush (July 6, 1946), Bill Clinton (August 19, 1946) and Barack Obama (August 4, 1961).
In 2015, Carter made a cancer illness public, which he was able to overcome. In recent years, Carter had been hospitalized several times due to falls. Carter had repeatedly intervened in politics after leaving the White House.
In November 2019, Carter made it clear at a church service in his hometown of Plains that he was facing death with composure. "I didn't ask God to let me live," he said. "I asked God to give me an appropriate attitude toward death. And I found that I was completely at peace with death."
