Fact Check: Did Donald Trump fail to place hand over heart at Jimmy Carter's funeral?

Donald Trump and Melania attended Jimmy Carter's funeral ceremony on January 9
PUBLISHED JAN 15, 2025
A rumor claimed that Donald Trump failed to place his hand over heart at Jimmy Carter's funeral (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)
A rumor claimed that Donald Trump failed to place his hand over heart at Jimmy Carter's funeral (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC: Former President Jimmy Carter's funeral took place on January 9 at the Washington National Cathedral, concluding more than a week of public tributes to the 39th president, who died on Dec. 29 at the age of 100. Political leaders, friends, and family honored the life of the former president during the ceremony.

However, a rumor claimed that President-elect Donald Trump failed to place his right hand over his heart as service members carried Carter's casket at his funeral ceremony. But is there any truth to this? Let us find out below.

Claim: Donald Trump failed to place hand over heart at Jimmy Carter's funeral?

Several viral posts across social media claimed that President-elect Donald Trump failed to place his right hand over his heart as service members carried Jimmy Carter's flag-draped casket at his funeral ceremony.

Internet users shared the rumor and pointed to photos showing Trump with his hand at his side at a moment when other past and present leaders placed their right hands over their hearts, according to Snopes.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and Melania Trump arrive for the state funeral for former U.S. President Jimmy Carter at Washington National Cathedral on January 09, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Joe Biden declared today a national day of mourning for Carter, the 39th President of the United States, who died at the age of 100 on December 29, 2024 at his home in Plains, Georgia. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
President-elect Donald Trump and Melania Trump arrive for the state funeral for former President Jimmy Carter at Washington National Cathedral on January 09, 2025, in Washington, DC (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The people sitting near Trump at the state funeral included President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and second gentleman Doug Emhoff, along with past US presidents, vice presidents, and some of their spouses.

A Facebook user shared the photo where Trump could be seen standing with his hand not near his heart and captioned it "Is this photo legit?" 

False: Trump did place his hand over his heart

The rumors circulated online are false as Donald Trump did place his hand over his heart while service members carried Carter's flag-draped casket up the aisle at the state funeral.

Many pictures of Donald Trump hosted by media outlets such have shown that Donald Trump did place his hand over his heart during the ceremony.

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 09: (L-R) Former U.S. Vice Presidents Al Gore and Mike Pence, Karen Pence, former U.S. President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former U.S. President George W. Bush, Laura Bush, former U.S. President Barack Obama, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, Melania Trump, U.S. President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff attend the state funeral for former U.S. President Jimmy Carter at Washington National Cathedral on January 09, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Joe Biden declared today a national day of mourning for Carter, the 39th President of the United States, who died at the age of 100 on December 29, 2024 at his home in Plains, Georgia. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Former U.S. Vice Presidents Al Gore and Mike Pence, Karen Pence, former U.S. President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former U.S. President George W. Bush, Laura Bush, former U.S. President Barack Obama, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, Melania Trump, U.S. President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff attend the state funeral for former U.S. President Jimmy Carter at Washington National Cathedral on January 09, 2025, in Washington, DC (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Moreover, a broadcast provided by C-SPAN.org depicted that Trump did place his hand over his heart. 

Notably, The United States Code describes observable conduct when the flag is displayed and during the playing of the country's national anthem, according to Snopes.

Kamala Harris accused of cropping Trump out of a photo from Carter's funeral

Vice President Kamala Harris shared a photograph from Jimmy Carter's funeral with President-elect Donald Trump supposedly cropped out of the frame.

The somber photo showed Harris, President Joe Biden, and former presidents Bill Clinton, George W Bush, and Barack Obama placing their hands over their hearts at the ceremony, reported USA Today.

However, the President-elect, who was standing beside Obama, had been cropped out of it. 


 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Vice President Kamala Harris (@vp)


 

Kamala Harris paid tribute to Jimmy Carter while sharing the picture on the official VP Instagram account that read, "President Jimmy Carter loved our country. He lived his faith, served the people, and left the world better than he found it. President Carter’s many contributions will echo for generations to come."

Notably, Trump and his wife Melania Trump, who were seated next to Obama, were left out of the picture posted on January 11.

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