All five living presidents, and other lawmakers were in attendance at Jimmy Carter’s funeral happening today in Washington D.C.
Those in attendance at the funeral include President-elect Donald Trump, former Presidents Obama, Bush and Clinton, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, along with current President Joe Biden.
However, during today’s memorial, cameras caught an interesting interaction between Obama and Trump. At first glance it appears to be a friendly interaction, with some experts saying it was a moment for Obama asking Trump for clemency.
Here’s what the cameras caught, and what else unfolded today.
Trump and Obama were locked in intense conversation ahead of the funeral but appeared to be at ease with one another, with the two leaders laughing and chatting at length before the service began.
Obama chuckles as Trump whispers in his ear.
WOW. pic.twitter.com/863yRnqta1
— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) January 9, 2025
They were surrounded by other former presidential figures including former President George W. Bush, former Vice President Mike Pence, former President Bill Clinton, former first lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
However, at a closer look, it appears that Obama may have been asking for something deeper of Trump.
According to Judicial Watch’s Tom Fitton, he speculated that Obama was cozying up to Trump to ask for clemency.
Take a look…
Obama asking for a pardon?pic.twitter.com/5CnlQLkKuL
— Tom Fitton (@TomFitton) January 9, 2025
Audio could not pick up on the specifics of their conversation.
As for Carter’s funeral, there were many other moments captured on camera as leader remembered the former president.
Notably, Michelle Obama was not in attendance due to “scheduling conflicts.”
The former first lady is in Hawaii, her reps told CNN correspondent Jeff Zeleny.
In addition to the interaction between Trump and Obama, cameras also caught Trump greeting his former Vice President Mike Pence.
Trump and Pence warmly greeted each other inside the Washington National Cathedral. It’s the first time the former running mates are believed to have spoken in four years.
According to the New York Post, Former Second Lady Karen Pence refused to shake Trump’s hand.
The son of former President Gerald Ford read his father’s eulogy for Carter, praising the deep “bond” and shared faith of the 1976 election rivals.
“By fate of a brief season, Jimmy Carter and I were rivals,” read Steven Ford, but claimed that after their presidencies ended the two were “bonded … as no two presidents” since John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.
Ford in his eulogy went on to say that he and Carter “respected each other as adversaries … even before we cherished one another as dear friends.”
“This is not to say that Jimmy didn’t get under my skin,” the 38th president added from beyond the grave.
“Jimmy knew my political vulnerabilities and he successfully pointed them out,” Ford’s son also read in his dad’s posthumous address. “Now I didn’t like it, but little would I know that the outcome of that 1976 election would bring about one of my deepest and most enduring friendships”
Both born-again Christians, Carter narrowly defeated Ford in the 1976 election.
Carter will leave D.C. today and be buried in his Georgia hometown later today.