Highlights: Jimmy Carter honored at state funeral, flown to Georgia for interment after his death at 100

The president delivered a eulogy at the state funeral for Carter, whom he praised for the example he set for all Americans during his time in and out of office. Biden also reflected on the “deep friendship” the two shared.

Michelle Obama was the only former first lady who did not attend Carter's funeral service at the Washington National Cathedral today. In a statement, her spokesperson, Crystal Carson, did not say why Obama did not attend.

“Mrs. Obama sends her thoughts and prayers to the Carter family, and everyone who loved and learned from the remarkable former President," Carson said.

As Carter's hometown of Plains, Georgia, prepares for its final goodbye to the 39th president, banners hang thanking him for his decades of public service.

An emotional state funeral service for Carter at the National Cathedral has ended.

The former president's casket was carried out of the cathedral draped in the U.S. flag. He will be flown back to Plains, Georgia, for a private funeral service there and burial near his longtime home.

The Rev. Andrew Young, who said he has known Carter for half of his life, delivered the homily, honoring Carter for his commitment to diverse groups of Americans.

"He went out of his way to embrace those of us who had grown up in all kinds of conflict. But that was the sensitivity, the spirituality, that made James Earl Carter a truly great president," he said.

Young, who is Black, touted his experience growing up as a member of the minority community in Sumter County, Georgia, where less than half of the population was white. He also mentioned Carter asking for his roommate in the Navy to be the first Black midshipman to come to Annapolis.

He also called Carter a "blessing" that "helped to create a great United States of America."

Country music artists Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood sang an acoustic version of "Imagine" by The Beatles. The ballad is said to have been Carter's favorite song.

Biden said in his eulogy that his friendship with Carter, spanning nearly six decades, taught him that "the strength of character is more than title or the power we hold."

"It's the strength to understand that everyone should be treated with dignity, respect ... that everyone, and I mean everyone, deserves an even shot," Biden said.

The president recalled how in April 2021, he and first lady Jill Biden visited Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter in Plains, Georgia, at their home. He said the Carters greeted them like family, and "that day, just the four of us sat in the living room and shared memories that spanned almost six decades, a deep friendship that started in 1974."

Biden said he learned from Carter that "we have an obligation to give hate no safe harbor, and to stand up" to "the abuse of power."

"That’s not about being perfect, because none of us are perfect — we’re all fallible," Biden said. "But it’s about asking ourselves, are we striving to do things the right things?"

Biden has started his eulogy for Carter, whom he said he had been friends with since he was elected to the Senate in the early 1970s.

From the moment his grandfather woke up in the morning to the moment he laid his head at night, his life was a testament to the goodness of God, said Jason Carter, Jimmy Carter’s eldest grandson, as he took the lectern to deliver a eulogy to his late “Papa.”

Jimmy Carter, known to most Americans as the 39th president, was to Jason not unlike thousands of other grandparents across the South, he said. Carter was, for the most part, just a regular American, who Jason said would often answer the door to his home in Plains, Georgia, wearing “70s shorts, a T-shirt and Crocs.” The audience shared in laughter as Jason recalled the first time his grandfather attempted to call him on a cellphone, struggling to understand the cutting-edge function of caller ID.

“They were small-town people who never forgot who they were or where they came from. Despite all of the changes in their lives,” Jason said. “But I know we are not here because he was just a regular guy.”

His grandfather’s politics and presidency were not just ahead of their time, but “prophetic,” Jason said, noting Carter’s dedication to his progressive policies even when they were unpopular. 

Stuart Eizenstat, who served as Carter's chief domestic policy adviser, honored the former president with a eulogy today, calling him "skilled in an astonishing range of activities."

"Jimmy Carter taught all of us how to live a life fulfilled with faith and service. He said, 'I have one life to live. I feel like God wants me to do the best I can do with it, to let me live my life so that it will be meaningful.' Well, Mr. President, you’ve more than achieved that goal," Eizenstat said.

He also honored Carter's commitment to the Jewish community, mentioning him being the first president to light a Hanukkah menorah.

Eizenstat noted some of the biggest accomplishments in Carter's presidency, including negotiating a peace treaty between Israel and Egypt and his championing of civil and human rights around the world as a way to champion freedom in communist countries like the Soviet Union.

"This president from the Deep South championed civil rights, appointing more people of color and women to senior executive positions and judgeships than all previous 38 presidents put together," he said. "We can thank him for the ethics in government and civil service reform laws that remain crucially important today."

Former Carter domestic adviser Stuart Eizenstat is now delivering remarks after the Armed Forces Chorus, the U.S. Marine Chamber Orchestra and the Cathedral Choir performed the hymn "Eternal Father, Strong to Save."

Walter Mondale's eldest son, Ted Mondale, delivered a eulogy written by his father, who served as Carter's vice president and who died in 2021.

"While we had only four years in the White House, he achieved so much in that time. It stood as a marker for Americans dedicated to justice and decency," Mondale said in the remarks.

The former vice president said that Carter allowed him to take a leadership role on issues that had never been allowed before for a vice president.

"He was very careful to protect me from the frustration and too often humiliation that had cursed the lives of many vice presidents," Mondale wrote.

Steven Ford, son of former President Gerald Ford, delivered a eulogy that his father wrote for Carter.

Steven Ford said his father and Carter once agreed to deliver eulogies at each other's funerals. His father was "thrilled to agree," Steven Ford said.

"After that call, as you can imagine, both of them got off the phone and had a pretty good chuckle," Steven Ford said. The two would often joke about it, and Carter delivered a heartfelt speech at Gerald Ford's funeral in 2006.

"It's an honor to share Dad's eulogy to his old friend," Steven Ford said, noting he could imagine his dad getting his yellow legal pad and writing the speech.

Gerald Ford's friendship with Carter was one of his "deepest and most enduring," Steven Ford said. Carter often pointed out Gerald Ford's political weaknesses in what was a welcomed annoyance, Steven Ford said.

In concluding, Steven Ford's voice broke as he said that Carter's compassion is his legacy, as "unique as it is enduring."

The first speaker of the funeral is Carter's grandson Joshua Carter, who is sharing stories about his grandfather and his upbringing.

Former President Obama also arrived and greeted both former Vice President Al Gore and Mike Pence before sitting down next to Trump, where the two chatted and Obama laughed at something Trump said.

Carter's casket is being carried now into the National Cathedral for the service.

Vice President Harris just walked in with her husband, Doug Emhoff, and sat in the front row of the pews. Obama and Trump were seated in the row behind and were chatting at length.

Neither Harris nor Emhoff greeted Trump or any of the other former presidents or first ladies before sitting down.

Trump and his former vice president, Mike Pence, shook hands and briefly greeted each other. Pence, who has criticized Trump over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, is seated behind the president-elect and former first lady Melania Trump.

This is the first time that Trump and Pence have seen each other since leaving the White House in January 2021, a source familiar with their conversations told NBC News. The two men spoke over the phone a couple of times in the months after leaving office but not in the roughly three years since.

George and Laura Bush and Bill and Hillary Clinton are also seated in the row with Obama and Trump.

The president, who will eulogize Carter, has arrived at Washington National Cathedral.

Carter's casket was just carried out of the Capitol and placed into a hearse, which will now drive across the city to Washington National Cathedral.

Carter’s life and legacy will be honored with a national day of mourning and a state funeral at the National Cathedral today where family, friends and leaders will pay their respects. "TODAY’s" Craig Melvin reports from Washington.

The Carter family asked Biden to deliver a eulogy in Carter’s honor at today's National Funeral Service, a White House official told NBC News.

Biden will be joined by first lady Jill Biden, the official said.

On the day Carter died, Biden issued a proclamation declaring today a national day of mourning and ordering flags to half-staff for 30 days.

Trump and his wife, Melania, paid respects to Carter on Wednesday evening as he lay in state at the U.S. Capitol.

Trump and his wife, Melania, paid respects to Carter yesterday at the Capitol, joining the ranks of politicians and civilians bidding him goodbye.

Other politicians who visited Carter yesterday included Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa.

Carter's final journey began when his hearse traveled through his hometown, Plains, Georgia, before it went to Atlanta, where the Carter Center is located.

His body then lay in state at the U.S. Capitol before its transfer to Washington National Cathedral for today's service.

Carter will be buried in Plains alongside his wife, Rosalynn Carter, who died in 2023.