Jimmy Carter, oldest of all US presidents, dies at the age of 100

Former US President Jimmy Carter has died aged 100, the center he founded has confirmed.

The former peanut farmer lived longer than any other president in history and celebrated his 100th birthday in October.

The Carter Center, which advocates for democracy and human rights worldwide, said he died Sunday afternoon at his home in Plains, Georgia.

The Democrat was president from 1977 to 1981, a period marked by economic and diplomatic crises.

After leaving the White House with low approval ratings, his reputation was restored through humanitarian work, which earned him the Nobel Peace Prize.

“My father was a hero, not just to me, but to all who believe in peace, human rights and selfless love,” his son Chip Carter said in a statement.

“The world is our family because he brought people together, and we thank you for honoring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs.”

Carter — who was governor of Georgia, a U.S. Navy lieutenant and a farmer before taking office — is survived by his four children, 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

His wife of 77 years, Rosalynn, died in November 2023.

As of 2018 and the death of George HW Bush, he was the oldest living US president.

Carter stopped medical treatment for an undisclosed illness last year and instead began receiving hospice care at his home.

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden said the world had “lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian.”

They described him as “a dear friend” and “a man of principle, faith and humility,” adding: “He showed that we are a great nation because we are a good people – decent and honorable, courageous and compassionate , humble and strong.” .”

“The challenges Jimmy faced as president came at a crucial time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans,” President-elect Donald Trump wrote on social media.

“We all owe him a huge debt of gratitude for that.”

Carter’s presidency will be remembered for his difficulties in dealing with acute economic problems and several foreign policy challenges, including the Iran hostage crisis that ended with the deaths of eight Americans.

There was, however, a notable foreign policy triumph in the Middle East when he helped negotiate an agreement between Egypt and Israel signed at Camp David in the US in 1978.

But that seemed a distant memory two years later, when voters overwhelmingly went for Republican Ronald Reagan, who had portrayed the president as a weak leader incapable of dealing with inflation and interest rates at near record highs to get along.

Carter lost the 1980 election in a landslide, winning only six states plus Washington DC

After such a devastating defeat, Carter was often cited by Republicans as an example of liberal ineptitude.

Meanwhile, many in his own party either ignored him or viewed his shortcomings as president as evidence that their Democratic policies or policies were the better way.

Today, many on the right still mock the Carter years, but as the decades passed, his humanitarian efforts and simple lifestyle began to leave a new legacy for many Americans.

After leaving the White House, he became the first and only president to return full-time to the house where he had lived before politics – a modest two-bedroom ranch-style home.

He chose not to pursue the lucrative after-dinner speeches and publishing deals that most former presidents expected. he told the Washington Post in 2018 that he never really wanted to be rich.

Instead, he spent his remaining years tackling the global problems of inequality and disease.

He also co-founded The Elders with Nelson Mandela, a group of world leaders dedicated to working for peace and human rights.

When he accepted his Nobel Prize in 2002 – only the third US president to receive it – he said: “The most serious and universal problem is the growing gap between the richest and the poorest people on earth.”

In a statement, former President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary Clinton said he had “worked tirelessly for a better, more just world,” citing his humanitarian, environmental and diplomatic efforts.

“Guided by faith, President Carter lived to serve others – to the end,” they added.

Former President Barack Obama praised Carter’s “decency,” saying, “He taught us all what it means to live a life of grace, dignity, justice and service.”

Republican former President George W. Bush, meanwhile, said Carter “made the office worthy” and that “his efforts to leave a better world did not end with the presidency.”

President Biden said a state funeral would be held in Washington DC.