Trump hails Florida Dem’s decision to ditch party, join GOP: ‘THANK YOU HILLARY!’
President-elect Donald Trump congratulated and thanked Florida state Rep. Hillary Cassel after the Sunshine State lawmaker announced her decision to dump her Democratic Party affiliation and join the GOP. “Today, I am announcing my decision to change my party affiliation from Democrat to Republican,” Cassel said in a statement. “I will be joining the Republican Conference of the Florida House of Representatives because I believe in their vision for a better, more prosperous Florida.” In a statement hailing the move, Trump urged more Democrats to defect. DESANTIS WELCOMES FLORIDA STATE LAWMAKER TO REPUBLICAN PARTY AS SHE DITCHES DEMOCRATS “Congratulations to Hillary Cassel for becoming the second State Representative from the Great State of Florida to switch her Party affiliation from Democrat to Republican, once more expanding the GOP Supermajority in the State House! I would further like to invite other Disillusioned Democrats to switch Parties, and join us on this noble quest to Save our Country and, Make America Great Again – GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE. THANK YOU HILLARY!” Trump exclaimed in a Truth Social post. Cassel’s announcement came after fellow Florida state Rep. Susan Valdés announced earlier this month that she was switching her registration from Democrat to Republican. While seeking office in 2022, Cassel described herself as a “proud Democrat,” “pro-choice champion,” and “faithful ally of the LGBTQ+ community.” FLORIDA BANS CHILDREN UNDER 14 FROM SOCIAL MEDIA She also pledged that she would “stand up to #ClimateChange deniers” and “stand up to the NRA and fight for a ban on military style assault rifles and the high capacity ammunition that make them so lethal.” But now Cassel says the Democratic Party does not reflect her values. “As a mother, I want to help build a world where our children are judged on their character and their actions not on their labels,” she noted in her statement. “As a proud Jewish woman, I have been increasingly troubled by the Democratic Party’s failure to unequivocally support Israel and its willingness to tolerate extreme progressive voices that justify or condone acts of terrorism. I’m constantly troubled by the inability of the current Democratic Party to relate to everyday Floridians. I can no longer remain in a party that doesn’t represent my values. TRUMP-BACKED CANDIDATE AIMING TO REPLACE MATT GAETZ WANTS FLORIDA TO ADOPT GOLD AND SILVER AS LEGAL TENDER “I know I won’t always agree on every detail with every Republican, but I do know that I will always have input, collaboration, and respect. The House Republican Conference empowers members to find common sense solutions to real issues facing all Floridians. They welcome different ideas and collaboration, which is the cornerstone of effective government. Those are my values,” Cassel noted.
Trump gives Johnson ‘complete and total endorsement’ ahead of speakership fight
President-elect Donald Trump gave his “complete” and “total” endorsement of Mike Johnson ahead of next month’s expected fight to hold onto the House speakership. “The American people need IMMEDIATE relief from all of the destructive policies of the last Administration. Speaker Mike Johnson is a good, hard working, religious man,” Trump wrote on TRUTHSocial Monday. “He will do the right thing, and we will continue to WIN. Mike has my Complete & Total Endorsement. MAGA!!!” Trump, championing the GOP as “the Party of COMMON SENSE,” also included a warning to Republicans. “We ran a flawless campaign, having spent FAR LESS, with lots of money left over. They ran a very expensive ‘sinking ship,’ embracing DOJ & FBI WEAPONIZATION against their political opponent, ME. BUT IT DIDN’T WORK, IT WAS A DISASTER!!!” Trump wrote, adding: “LETS NOT BLOW THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY WHICH WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN.” JOHNSON ALLIES URGE TRUMP TO INTERVENE AS MESSY SPEAKER BATTLE THREATENS TO DELAY 2024 CERTIFICATION Deeming his win as the culmination of a “magnificent and historic Presidential Election of 2024,” Trump reiterated how he and Vice President-elect JD Vance picked up seven swing states, 317 electoral college votes and the popular vote by millions of voters. Trump also decried how it took several weeks after Election Day before the state of California certified its results. THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO FAILING TO ELECT A HOUSE SPEAKER QUICKLY He pointed out how Vice President Kamala Harris’ failed presidential campaign shelled out millions of dollars for celebrity endorsements. “Republicans are being praised for having run a ‘legendary’ campaign! Democrats are being excoriated for their effort, having wasted 2.5 Billion Dollars, much of it unaccounted for, with some being used to illegally buy endorsements,” he wrote. ($11,000,000 to Beyoncé, who never even sang a song, $2,000,000 to Oprah for doing next to nothing, and even $500,000 to Reverend AL, a professional con man and instigator, who agreed to ‘interview’ their ‘star spangled’ candidates, Kamala and Joe).” This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Jimmy Carter nears the top of America’s ‘Most Admired Man’ list, according to Gallup
When it comes to Gallup’s “Most Admired Man list,” Jimmy Carter is number three in the top 10 finishes, behind only Rev. Billy Graham and Ronald Reagan. From 1946 to 2020, Carter made the list 29 times, according to Gallup. Carter, the nation’s 39th president, died Sunday, Dec. 29, at the age of 100. He served a single term as president, and will also be remembered for his decades of humanitarian work. “When Gallup asked Americans to retrospectively evaluate Carter’s presidency in June 2023, 57% said they approved of the job he did, and 36% disapproved,” a Gallup blog reads. “His retrospective approval ranks in the bottom half of presidents, better than Nixon and Trump, but similar to George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.” JIMMY CARTER, 39TH PRESIDENT, REMEMBERED FOR HIS INTEGRITY AND DEVOTION TO HUMANITY Carter earned a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 “for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development,” its website states. The Plains, Georgia, native undertook peace negotiations, campaigned for human rights and worked for social welfare while President George W. Bush was planning war on Iraq in the fall of 2002. BIDEN TAKES JAB AT TRUMP WHILE APPLAUDING JIMMY CARTER’S DECENCY, SHARES FONDEST MEMORY WITH LATE PRESIDENT “According to the Chairman of the Nobel Committee, Carter ought to have been awarded the Prize as early as in 1978, when he successfully mediated a peace agreement between Egypt and Israel,” the Nobel Prize website says. “As ex-President, Carter conducted an active peace and mediation campaign which sometimes seemed to run counter to official US policy.” The Carter Center, which Carter opened with his wife, Rosalynn, in 1982, has been a pioneer of election observation, monitoring at least 113 elections in Africa, Latin America, and Asia since 1989. In perhaps its most widely hailed public health effort, the organization recently announced that only 14 human cases of Guinea worm disease were reported in all of 2021, the result of years of public health campaigns to improve access to safe drinking water in Africa. For his humanitarian work, Craig Shirley, a Reagan biographer and historian, said Carter will be remembered as “one of the best ex-presidents of the 20th century.” “We’re going to remember him kindly. He was a terrific former president with what he did with the Carter Center and the various initiatives around the country. His book writing stands out [as does] his charitable works. So, he goes down in his history as an extraordinarily good former president.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump accuses former Speaker Kevin McCarthy of ‘one of the dumbest political decisions made in years’
President-elect Donald Trump took aim at former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, describing the debt ceiling suspension approved in 2023 as “one of the dumbest political decisions made in years.” But while targeting the former top House GOP lawmaker, Trump tempered the criticism by describing McCarthy as a friend and a good person. “The extension of the Debt Ceiling by a previous Speaker of the House, a good man and a friend of mine, from this past September of the Biden Administration, to June of the Trump Administration, will go down as one of the dumbest political decisions made in years. There was no reason to do it – NOTHING WAS GAINED, and we got nothing for it – A major reason why that Speakership was lost. It was Biden’s problem, not ours. Now it becomes ours,” Trump declared in the post. DEBT CEILING IS ‘LAST TOOL’ IN DEMOCRATS’ TOOLBOX TO OBSTRUCT TRUMP AGENDA: KAROLINE LEAVITT “I call it ‘1929’ because the Democrats don’t care what our Country may be forced into. In fact, they would prefer ‘Depression’ as long as it hurt the Republican Party. The Democrats must be forced to take a vote on this treacherous issue NOW, during the Biden Administration, and not in June. They should be blamed for this potential disaster, not the Republicans!” he added. A deal passed by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden last year suspended the debt limit through Jan. 1, 2025, but Trump has been calling for the ceiling to be increased before he takes office. “In June 2023, the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 was enacted, suspending the debt limit through January 1, 2025. On January 2, 2025, the new debt limit will be established at the amount of outstanding debt subject to the statutory limit at the end of the previous day,” Treasury Sec. Janet Yellen wrote in a recent letter to congressional leaders. “Treasury currently expects to reach the new limit between January 14 and January 23, at which time it will be necessary for Treasury to start taking extraordinary measures. I respectfully urge Congress to act to protect the full faith and credit of the United States.” PRESIDENT BIDEN SIGNS STOPGAP FUNDING BILL INTO LAW, NARROWLY AVERTING SHUTDOWN Earlier this month, Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance pressed for the limit to be raised as part of a stopgap government spending proposal. “The most foolish and inept thing ever done by Congressional Republicans was allowing our country to hit the debt ceiling in 2025. It was a mistake and is now something that must be addressed,” the two men said in a statement. “Increasing the debt ceiling is not great but we’d rather do it on Biden’s watch. If Democrats won’t cooperate on the debt ceiling now, what makes anyone think they would do it in June during our administration?” But the measure that eventually passed did not raise the ceiling. Responding to Trump’s post about McCarthy, Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, wrote in a post on X, “Sadly, this bad debt ceiling extension was opposed by only 71 House Republicans 18 months ago (notably opposed by virtually the entire @freedomcaucus).” TRUMP-BACKED SPENDING BILL TO AVERT GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN FAILS HOUSE VOTE “Democrats did vote on the recent debt ceiling increase proposal on 12/19: 197-2 against it (their price to support is very high – more spending/taxes),” Roy added. “Yes, we can & should address the debt ceiling – thru reconciliation in January with mostly GOP votes – but with real, meaningful spending cuts.”
Kentucky to consider bill that would hold parents accountable for children’s gun crimes
Kentucky’s legislature is primed to consider a bill in the new year that would make parents responsible for their juvenile child committing a crime involving the discharge of a firearm. State Rep. Kim Banta, R-Erlanger, modeled her legislation after similar laws that hold parents accountable for property crimes and motor vehicle accidents. In the Bluegrass State, parents are liable for up to $2,500 in cases where their kids deface property and the guardian who signed a minor’s driver’s license application is “jointly and severally liable” for any findings of negligence or damage behind the wheel. “The most important thing is that I am absolutely not trying to stop gun sales or enact gun control,” Banta told Fox News Digital in a Friday interview. BIDEN TO SIGN EXECUTIVE ORDER AIMED AT REDUCING GUN VIOLENCE “I’m simply trying to make parents aware that whether it is driving a car or doing anything else their child does, they need to know what they’re doing, and they need to exercise caution.” Similar to the language in the car-crash law, Banta’s bill imputes “negligence or willful misconduct” of a minor on their parents/guardians for civil damages stemming from injuries to another person that are caused by a person with a gun. Factors in determining parental liability include whether the elder allowed the child to have the gun, was aware of previous gun law violations or believes the minor to have the propensity to be violent, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader. On Friday, Banta said there had been a recent case in Kentucky where several 15-year-olds got into a disagreement, purportedly over drugs, and one boy went home, retrieved a gun, and came back and shot the two other youths. WATCHDOG SEEKS TO HALT 11TH-HOUR BIDEN DOJ EFFORT TO HANDCUFF KY POLICE OVER BREONNA TAYLOR INCIDENT “A 15-year-old does not have the mental ability to make snap decisions that adults do; not in anger, not in routine life, so a gun in their possession unsupervised is a little different than an adult with a gun,” she said. Foster parents, however, would be exempt from the law, according to Murray State University’s NPR affiliate. The bill will be presented in January and Banta said if it makes it to a committee vote, there is a high likelihood it will make it to a full floor vote and be sent to Gov. Andrew Beshear’s desk. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Fox News Digital reached out Beshear for comment but did not receive a response by press time. Both legislative chambers in Frankfort are held by Republican majorities, while Beshear is a Democrat.
Trump’s convincing 2024 victory sets House GOP up for homefield advantage in 2026 midterm elections
The returning head of the House Republican campaign committee says that “the battlefield is really playing out to our advantage” as he works to defend the GOP’s razor-thin majority in the chamber in the 2026 midterm elections. While House Republicans held on to control of the House in November’s elections, the Democrats made gains, and the GOP will hold a fragile 220-215 majority when at full strength. The party in power traditionally loses House seats in the ensuing midterm elections. But thanks to President-elect Trump’s popular vote victory and sweep of all seven key battleground states as he won back the White House, National Republican Congressional Committee chair Rep. Richard Hudson looks forward to some home-field advantage on the campaign trail. VANCE TO LIKELY BE 2028 GOP PRESIDENTIAL FRONT-RUNNER, BUT RNC CHAIR ALSO LIKES PARTY’S ‘BENCH’ “There are 14 Democrats who won seats also carried by Donald Trump. There are only three Republicans in seats that were carried by Kamala Harris. So that tells me we’re going to be on offense,” Hudson emphasized in a recent Fox News Digital interview. Eight years ago, when Trump first won the White House, and the GOP held onto their House majority, Democrats targeted roughly two-dozen Republicans in the 2018 midterms in districts that Trump lost in the 2016 election. The Democrats, in a blue-wave election, were successful in flipping the House majority. SENATE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE CHAIR SPELLS OUT HIS 2026 MISSION Fast-forward eight years, and it’s a different story, as this time Republicans will be defending seats on friendly turf in districts that the president-elect carried. And Hudson argues that home-field advantage will help the GOP cut through the traditional midterm headwinds. “There’s a whole lot more opportunity for us to go on offense,” Hudson, who’s represented a congressional district in central North Carolina for a dozen years, touted. Hudson also made the case that House Republicans who will once again be targeted by the Democrats in the upcoming election cycle are “really battle-tested. I mean, they’re folks who’ve been through the fire before. They’ve gone through several cycles now with millions of dollars spent against them.” “They’ve been able to succeed because they work very hard in their districts. They’ve established very strong brands, as you know, people who know how to get things done and how to deliver for their community,” he emphasized. “The Republicans who are in tough seats are our best candidates.” The three House Republicans who are in districts that Harris carried last month are Reps. Don Bacon of Nebraska, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Mike Lawler of New York. But there will be a big difference in 2026: Trump, who helped drive low-propensity voters to the polls this year, won’t be on the ballot in the 2026 midterms. “I certainly would rather have him on the ballot, because he turns out voters that don’t come out for other candidates,” Hudson acknowledged. But he argued, “If you look at the way this race is shaping up, we campaigned on a key set of issues of things that we promised we would deliver. If we deliver those things and have Donald Trump there with us campaigning with our candidates, I believe we can drive out a higher percentage of those voters than we have in midterms in the past.” Hudson said that Trump “was a great partner” with House Republicans this year and will be again in the upcoming election cycle. “[Trump] cares deeply about having a House majority, because he understands that a Democrat House majority means his agenda comes to a grinding halt. And so he’s been very engaged, was a very good partner for us this last election, and I anticipate that continuing.” Rep. Suzan DelBene of Washington State, chair of the rival Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, says she wants “to build on” the “things we did right” as she aims to win back the House majority Democrats lost in the 2022 midterms. “We won in tough districts, outperformed across the country,” DelBene emphasized in a recent Fox News Digital interview. DelBene, who is also sticking around for a second straight tour of duty steering her party’s House campaign committee, said that the 2024 successes are “a good example of what we need to continue to follow, heading into 2026.” “Number one, have great candidates who are independent-minded, focused on the needs of their communities,” DelBene said as she listed her to-do list. “Those candidates and their voices were critically important in this election.” DelBene said that “making sure that they [the candidates] have the resources they need to get information out to voters and to continue to address, head-on, the issues that are most important to their communities, lowering costs, making sure there’s economic opportunity” are also top priorities. With Trump returning to the White House and the GOP in control of both chambers of Congress, DelBene said Republicans are “going to be accountable for what they do in this country and the impact that has on working families.” “We’re going to hold them accountable for their votes and the actions they take, especially if they aren’t supporting working families,” she emphasized. “I think people want to see governance work. So, if Republicans aren’t willing to work in a bipartisan way to get things done, that’s going to be a key part of the 2026 election as well.” Looking to the 2026 map, DelBene touted that Democrats will have “opportunities across the country.” And she said it’s the DCCC’s job to “reach voters where they are and make sure they’re getting accurate information about where our candidates stand.” Fox News’ Emma Woodhead contributed to this report.
2028 Watch: Here are the Democrats who may eventually jump into the next White House race
As Democrats aim to rebound following stunning setbacks in the 2024 elections, the race for Democratic National Committee chair is very publicly heating up. Getting less attention, but also starting to quietly commence, are moves by Democratic politicians who may have national ambitions in the next White House race. And while 2028 may seem like a long way away, recent history shows that the early moves in the next White House race start, well, very early. The unofficial starting gun for the 2024 race was fired by then-former President Donald Trump less than two months after leaving the White House, with a CPAC speech that teased his eventual 2024 presidential campaign. BUTTIGIEG FUELS 2028 SPECULATION BY DOING THIS A few weeks later, the first visits to the key early voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire by potential GOP presidential contenders were also underway. Fast-forward four years, and expect similar actions by Democratic politicians who may harbor national ambitions. With the soon-to-be 82-year-old President Biden exiting the national stage, and Vice President Kamala Harris, in the wake of her defeat by Trump, in no immediate rush to decide her political future, the road to the 2028 nomination may be wide open. VANCE IN ‘CATBIRD SEAT,’ BUT HERE ARE THE OTHER REPUBLICANS WHO MAY ALSO RUN IN 2028 “The jockeying for 2028 took a brief pause when Harris became the nominee and looked to be in a strong position, which would have meant shutting out potential candidates for the next four to eight years. Now, though, it’s wide open, and it won’t be long before we see clear maneuvering from a litany of candidates,” seasoned Democratic political strategist Chris Moyer told Fox News. Moyer, a veteran of a handful of presidential campaigns, noted that “this will include travel to states like New Hampshire and South Carolina and Nevada, presumably under the auspices of helping candidates in the midterms. Democratic voters in the early states will soon want to find someone they can get excited about and a future to look forward to in the midst of the misery of another four years of Trump in the White House. These potential candidates will be more than happy to oblige.” The results of the 2026 midterm elections will have a major impact on the shape of the next White House race. For now, however, here is an initial look at Democratic Party politicians considered to be potential 2028 presidential contenders. Vice President Kamala Harris As the 60-year-old Harris finishes up her final weeks as the nation’s vice president, early polling in the 2028 Democratic nomination race indicates that she would be a front-runner, thanks in part to her name recognition within her party. While any decisions on her next political steps are months away, sources in the vice president’s orbit confirm to Fox News that top aides are divided on whether Harris should run again for the White House in 2028, or instead launch a 2026 gubernatorial campaign in her home state of California, which would likely prevent her from seeking the presidency two years later. While there are plenty of voices within the party who would like to move on from the Biden/Harris era following Trump’s sweeping victory, and there is little history of Democrats yearning for past defeated presidential nominees, Trump has re-written the rules when it comes to defeated White House contenders making another run. And potential buyers’ remorse of a second Trump administration could boost Harris in the years to come. Gov. Gavin Newsom of California California Gov. Gavin Newsom was a top surrogate for President Biden during the president’s re-election bid. With the blessing of the White House, the two-term California governor debated then-Republican presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis last year on Fox News. Newsom’s travels on behalf of Biden brought him to New Hampshire and South Carolina, two crucial early voting states on the Democratic Party’s nominating calendar. After the vice president, his friend and fellow Californian, replaced Biden atop the Democrats’ 2024 ticket, the governor continued — after a pause — his efforts to keep Trump from returning to the White House. With Trump’s election victory last week, Newsom became one of the Democratic Party leaders getting ready to lead the opposition. The governor announced that California state lawmakers would meet to quickly take legislative action to counter Trump’s likely upcoming agenda. The 57-year-old Newsom’s second term in Sacramento will finish at the end of next year, right around the time the 2028 presidential election will start to heat up. Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois Illinois Gov JB Pritzker, similar to Newsom, is already taking steps to Trump-proof his state. “You come for my people, you come through me,” Pritzker told reporters of his efforts to protect Illinois. Pritzker was also a high-profile surrogate on behalf of Biden and then Harris during the 2024 cycle. Those efforts brought Pritzker to Nevada, a general election battleground state and an early-voting Democratic presidential primary state, and New Hampshire. However, before he makes any decision about 2028, the 59-year-old governor must decide whether he will run in 2026 for a third term steering Illinois. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan Two-term Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer grabbed plenty of attention and became a Democratic Party rising star in 2020 when she feuded with then-President Trump over COVID pandemic federal assistance and survived a foiled kidnapping attempt. Trump, at the time, called her “that woman from Michigan.” Along with Newsom and Pritzker, Whitmer’s name was floated as a possible replacement for Biden following his disastrous debate performance against Trump in late June, before the president endorsed Harris and the party instantly coalesced around the vice president. Whitmer was a leading surrogate for Biden and then for Harris and made a big impression on Democratic activists during a stop this summer in New Hampshire on behalf of Harris. The governor is term-limited and will leave office after the end of next year. Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro,
Former President Jimmy Carter remembered and praised as a humanitarian around the world
World leaders from across the globe are expressing their sincere condolences as the U.S. mourns the death of former President Jimmy Carter, who passed away at the age of 100 on Sunday. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel took to X to give his commiserations in the wake of Carter’s death, writing, “Condolences to the people and government of the United States, especially to the family and loved ones of President James Carter. Our people will remember with gratitude his efforts to improve relations, his visits to Cuba and his statement in favor of the freedom of the (Cuban) Five.” In his one term in the White House, Carter struck the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt, helped take the world further from nuclear proliferation with the second Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT), signed the Panama Canal Treaties, which ended a century of direct American control over the crucial canal, and deregulated the nation’s airline industry. JIMMY CARTER, 39TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, DEAD AT 100 Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his efforts to find peaceful solutions when dealing with international conflicts, leaving many world leaders to applaud his work promoting economic and social development as well as human rights. “We express our heartfelt condolences to the American people and to the family of former US President Jimmy Carter on his passing. He was a leader who served during a time when Ukraine was not yet independent, yet his heart stood firmly with us in our ongoing fight for freedom. We deeply appreciate his steadfast commitment to Christian faith and democratic values, as well as his unwavering support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s unprovoked aggression. He devoted his life to promoting peace in the world and defending human rights. Today, let us remember: peace matters, and the world must remain united in standing against those who threaten these values. May his memory be eternal,” said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Long-time allies of the U.S. the Royal Family’s King Charles also took to social media to express his sorrow. “It was with great sadness that I learned of the death of former President Carter. He was a committed public servant, and devoted his life to promoting peace and human rights. His dedication and humility served as an inspiration to many, and I remember with great fondness his visit to the United Kingdom in 1977. My thoughts and prayers are with President Carter’s family and the American people at this time.” JIMMY, ROSALYNN CARTER’S HABITAT FOR HUMANITY LEGACY WILL CONTINUE, ORGANIZATION SAYS Carter died at his home in Georgia surrounded by his family. “My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love,” said Chip Carter, the former president’s son. “My brothers, sister, and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs. The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honoring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs.”
Biden takes jab at Trump while applauding Jimmy Carter’s decency, shares fondest memory with late president
President Biden addressed the nation on Sunday in the wake of former President Jimmy Carter’s death, commending the late statesman while also taking a swipe at the current president-elect during his speech. Biden, who sounded hoarse during the speech, said he “lost a dear friend” on Sunday, noting that he had known Carter for more than 50 years. Carter passed away in Plains, Georgia, at the age of 100, after nearly two years of being in hospice care. During his remarks, Biden said Carter is a model “of what it means to live a life of meaning and purpose, a life of principle, faith and humility.” “Some look at Jimmy Carter and see a man of a bygone era with honesty and character. Faith and humility mattered, but I don’t believe it’s a bygone era,” Biden said. “We’d all do well to try to be more like Jimmy Carter.” JIMMY CARTER, 39TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, DEAD AT 100 Biden said his fondest memory of Carter happened in the 1970s when the then-Georgia governor asked Biden for help with his presidential campaign. “He grabbed me by the arm and said, ‘I need you to help with my campaign,’” Biden recalled. “I said, ‘I’ve only been around a couple of years, Mr. Governor.’ He said, ‘No, it’ll make a difference.’” “I said, ‘I’m not sure it will,” Biden added. “When I endorsed him for president, I told him why [I] was endorsing him and that it was not only his policies but his character, his decency, the honor he communicated to everyone.” JIMMY, ROSALYNN CARTER’S HABITAT FOR HUMANITY LEGACY WILL CONTINUE, ORGANIZATION SAYS When a reporter asked Biden what President-elect Trump should take from Carter’s legacy, Biden replied, “Decency.” “Decency, decency, decency. … Can you imagine Jimmy Carter walking by someone who needed something and just keep walking? Can you imagine Jimmy Carter referring to someone by the way they look or the way they talk?” Biden’s speech came after Trump issued his own statement about Carter’s death. “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,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “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.” Trump later wrote that although he “strongly” disagreed with Carter philosophically and politically, he realized that the former president “truly loved and respected” the U.S. and all it stands for. “He worked hard to make America a better place, and for that I give him my highest respect,” Trump said. “He was truly a good man and, of course, will be greatly missed. He was also very consequential, far more than most Presidents, after he left the Oval Office.” Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner contributed to this report.
Living US presidents react to death of former President Jimmy Carter
Tributes, including those from all five living presidents, poured in on Sunday after news broke that former President Jimmy Carter died at his home in Plains, Georgia, at the age of 100. Carter served as the 39th president of the United States, but he was also a peanut farmer with a vision of a “competent and compassionate” government, which propelled him into the White House. Former President Bill Clinton said in a statement on Sunday that he and his wife, Hillary, met Carter in 1975 as “proud, early supporters” of his presidential campaign. “Hillary and I mourn the passing of President Jimmy Carter and give thanks for his long, good life,” Clinton wrote. “Guided by his faith, President Carter lived to serve others – until the very end.” JIMMY CARTER, 39TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, DEAD AT 100 Clinton continued by praising his presidential colleague for his commitment to civil rights while serving as a state senator and the governor of Georgia, as well as his efforts as president to protect natural resources in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, returning the Panama Canal to Panama and securing peace between Egypt and Israel at Camp David. Carter’s devotions after serving as president also gained accolades from Clinton, including efforts from the Carter Center to support honest elections, advancing peace and combating disease. “I will always be proud to have presented the Medal of Freedom to him and Rosalynn in 1999, and to have worked with him in the years after he left the White House,” Clinton wrote. “Our prayers are with Jack, Chip, Jeff, Amy, and their families.” FORMER PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER TO SPEND ‘REMAINING TIME’ AT HOME RECEIVING HOSPICE CARE Former President George W. Bush said Carter was “a man of deeply held convictions” who was loyal to his family, his community and his country. “President Carter dignified the office. And his efforts to leave behind a better world didn’t end with the presidency,” Bush said. “His work with Habitat for Humanity and the Carter Center set an example of service that will inspire Americans for generations.” Carter, according to former President Obama, promised voters he would always tell the truth, which Obama said “he did.” JIMMY CARTER CELEBRATES 98TH BIRTHDAY WITH FAMILY, FRIENDS, BASEBALL “He believed some things were more important than reelection – things like integrity, respect, and compassion. Because Jimmy Carter believed, as deeply as he believed anything, that we are all created in God’s image,” he added. “Whenever I had a chance to spend time with President Carter, it was clear that he didn’t just profess these values. He embodied them. And in doing so, he taught all of us what it means to live a life of grace, dignity, justice, and service.” Obama highlighted a quote that Carter said when he accepted his Nobel Peace Prize: “God gives us the capacity for choice. We can choose to alleviate suffering. We can choose to work together for peace.” “He made that choice again and again over the course of his 100 years, and the world is better for it,” Obama said. JIMMY CARTER, WIFE ROSALYNN CELEBRATE 75 YEARS OF MARRIAGE In another post on X, Obama said, “President Carter taught all of us what it means to live a life of grace, dignity, justice, and service. Michelle and I send our thoughts and prayers to the Carter family, and everyone who loved and learned from this remarkable man.” President Biden referred to Carter as a man of great character and courage, hope and optimism. He also said he and his wife will cherish seeing Carter and his late wife, Rosalynn, together, noting that the love between the two is the “definition of partnership,” while their leadership is the definition of “patriotism.” “We will miss them both dearly, but take solace knowing they are reunited once again and will remain forever in our hearts,” Biden said. “To the entire Carter family, we send our gratitude for sharing them with America and the world. To their staff – from the earliest days to the final ones – we have no doubt that you will continue to do the good works that carry on their legacy.” President-elect Trump also reacted to Carter’s death on Truth Social. “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,” Trump wrote. “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.”