The five living presidents are making a rare simultaneous appearance on Thursday at former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral.
It is unusual for five living presidents to be together in one place. Before 1991, there was only one other period in United States history, around 1861, when more than five presidents were even alive at the same time.
On Thursday, Donald J. Trump, Joe Biden, Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton are together for the first time since 2018.
Here are some of the most recent occasions when such a gathering has taken place.
The last presidential funeral
On Dec. 5, 2018, the funeral of George Herbert Walker Bush was attended by five former presidents, including Mr. Bush’s son George W. Bush.
The president at the time, Mr. Trump, did not have a speaking role at the funeral because of his brittle relationship with the Bush family. He had mocked the elder Bush’s volunteerism slogan — “a thousand points of light” — during campaign rallies, but speakers at the funeral celebrated the message.
During the funeral, Mr. Trump shook hands with Barack and Michelle Obama, who were seated directly next to him and Melania Trump, but he did not reach over them to shake the hands of Mr. Clinton, or Mr. Trump’s 2016 opponent, Hillary Clinton, who did not look at Mr. Trump. Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter were seated on the other side of the Clintons and did not interact with Mr. Trump.
More recently, in 2023, all of the current and former first ladies attended Mrs. Carter’s funeral: Jill Biden, Mrs. Trump, Mrs. Obama, Mrs. Clinton and Laura Bush. Three presidents also attended: Joe Biden, Mr. Clinton and Mr. Carter.
A presidential celebration
While presidents seem to most often set aside their differences for a funeral, they also have gathered for library dedications.
Five presidents appeared together at the dedication of the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum in Dallas on April 25, 2013: Mr. Obama, Mr. Clinton, Mr. Carter and the elder Mr. Bush.
The younger Mr. Bush told the crowd of thousands that “people can disagree.”
“It’s fair to say I created plenty of opportunities to exercise that right,” he said. “But when future generations come to this library and study this administration, they’re going to find out that we stayed true to our convictions.”
Coming together to mourn Reagan
When George W. Bush was in office, he spoke at former President Ronald Reagan’s funeral on June 11, 2004, as did his father, who had been Mr. Reagan’s vice president for both terms.
“Ronald Reagan belongs to the ages now,” the younger Mr. Bush said. “But we preferred it when he belonged to us.”
Former President Gerald R. Ford also attended the funeral, as did Mr. Clinton and Mr. Carter.
Saying farewell to Nixon
Former President Richard M. Nixon’s funeral on April 27, 1994, was the first for an American head of state since Lyndon B. Johnson’s in 1973.
Mr. Clinton, the president at the time, acknowledged in his remarks that Mr. Nixon’s record, including his administration’s role in the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War policy, was marred by mistakes and controversy.
“May the day of judging President Nixon on anything less than his entire life and career come to a close,” Mr. Clinton said.
Mr. Ford, Mr. Carter, Mr. Reagan and Mr. Bush also attended.
A gathering makes history
Five United States presidents gathered in the same place for what The New York Times reported was “the first time in history,” on Nov. 4, 1991.
The presidential peers came together for the dedication of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif.
Mr. Nixon, Mr. Ford, Mr. Carter and Mr. Bush joined Mr. Reagan at the ceremony, along with six first ladies and two of John F. Kennedy’s children, prompting one official with the Ronald Reagan Foundation to call the event “the largest gathering of American presidents and presidential families ever assembled.”
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