Former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral on Thursday at Washington National Cathedral brought together five living presidents, but a notable omission in some photos shared by Vice President Kamala Harris and the Carter Center raised questions. President-elect Donald Trump, who attended with his wife Melania, was conspicuously absent from a social media post by Harris, which highlighted the three Democratic presidents—Joe Biden, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama. In the photo, Biden, Clinton, and Obama stood with their hands over their hearts, while former President George W. Bush was partially obscured by Doug Emhoff, Harris’s husband.
Trump, who was seated next to Obama, appeared to be blocked by a large pillar in the frame. The Carter Center later shared a different photo showing all the attendees, including the Trumps, though they were not clearly visible. The photos taken by the media, however, did include all five presidents in the same frame, suggesting the omission may not have been intentional.
The funeral service, which marked the passing of the nation’s oldest living former president at age 100, was a rare moment of bipartisanship. Despite deep political divisions, former presidents from both parties interacted amicably. Obama and Trump, who had clashed over years of baseless claims about Obama’s citizenship, exchanged pleasantries. Bush and Pence, also Republicans, were in attendance, though the interactions between Trump and Pence were more strained, particularly after the January 6 Capitol attack. Pence, who refused to endorse Trump during the election due to the Capitol riot, shared a brief handshake with Trump at the event.
While many dignitaries attended, some, like former First Lady Michelle Obama, did not. The event was a solemn occasion to honor Carter’s legacy, with tributes reflecting his faith and service to the nation. The omission of Trump from certain photos did not overshadow the overarching theme of unity during the state funeral.
