Thu Jan 09 03:10:00 UTC 2025: ## All Living US Presidents to Gather for Carter’s Funeral, Marking a Historic Moment Amidst Tensions
**Washington, D.C.** – A rare and potentially fraught gathering is expected at former President Jimmy Carter’s state funeral on Thursday. All five living US presidents – Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden – will attend, marking the first time they have been together since the funeral of George H.W. Bush in 2018.
The event carries significant historical weight, bringing together a group described as the “Presidents Club,” a collection of men bound by their shared experience yet often divided by political ideology. The gathering is particularly noteworthy given the deeply fractured relationship between the presidents, especially the strained dynamic between Trump and his predecessors. Author Kate Andersen Brower, in her book “Team of Five: The Presidents Club in the Age of Trump,” notes that this is “the most contentious moment between these men” in modern history.
While tributes to Carter’s legacy and post-presidency humanitarian work have poured in from both sides of the aisle, his relationships with his fellow presidents were complex. While some, like Biden, maintained strong bonds with Carter, others, including Obama and Clinton, reportedly kept a distance, sometimes due to policy disagreements or a reluctance to be associated with a one-term presidency. Carter himself wasn’t hesitant to criticize his successors publicly, most notably George W. Bush’s handling of the Iraq War. His relationship with Trump was also marked by periods of cooperation and outspoken criticism.
Despite these past tensions, the funeral serves as a moment of unity, highlighting the unique shared experience of the presidency. President Biden, who will deliver remarks at the service, is expected to eulogize a fellow member of the “Presidents Club” for the first time. The gathering will be closely watched for any signs of reconciliation or further exacerbation of existing divisions.
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