PALM BEACH, Fla. – President-elect Donald Trump confirmed on New Year's Eve that he intends to attend the upcoming funeral of former President Jimmy Carter. As he arrived at the festivities at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, Trump stated, “I’ll be there.” He refrained from commenting on whether he had spoken with Carter's family during the brief interaction.

Funeral services for Carter, who passed away at age 100, are set to take place in Georgia and Washington, D.C., commencing on January 4 and concluding on January 9.

Throughout his campaign, Trump often criticized Carter, leveraging the 1970s inflation crisis to draw unfavorable comparisons between President Joe Biden and the former administration. However, following Carter's death, Trump took a more respectful tone on his social media platform, claiming the nation “owed him a debt of gratitude.” He remarked, “While I strongly disagreed with him philosophically and politically, I also realized that he truly loved and respected our Country, and all it stands for,” commending Carter’s efforts to improve America.

Wearing a tuxedo, Trump took a few moments during the New Year celebration to address various topics. When questioned about a potential ceasefire in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, he simply replied, “We’re going to see what happens.” He also expressed concern for hostages taken by Hamas, stating, “They better let the hostages come back soon.”

Looking forward, Trump optimistically proclaimed that he believes 2025 will be a “great year” and that the country is poised to “do fantastically well.” He elaborated, saying, “There’s a whole light over the whole world, not just our country. There are a lot of happy people,” reflecting on the atmosphere in recent weeks. Furthermore, when discussing resolutions for the new year, Trump expressed a desire for everyone to be “happy, healthy and well.”

Later, he took the opportunity to address the crowd welcoming the new year at Mar-a-Lago, assuring attendees he would “do a great job as your president.” In contrast, President Biden celebrated New Year’s Eve by attending his niece's wedding in Delaware, cutting short a holiday trip to the U.S. Virgin Islands to be present during the ceremony.

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