In a rare display of unity, all five living U.S. presidents came together on Thursday at Washington National Cathedral to honor former President Jimmy Carter, who passed away on December 29 at the age of 100.

President Joe Biden, President-elect Donald Trump, and former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton attended the state funeral service, marking their first public gathering since George H.W. Bush's funeral in 2018. The historic occasion saw political rivals setting aside their differences to pay respects to the 39th president.

President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden were seated in the front row alongside Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff. The second row featured former presidents Clinton, Bush, Obama, and Trump, accompanied by their respective spouses Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, and Melania Trump. Former First Lady Michelle Obama was notably absent due to what her office described as a scheduling conflict.

In a moment that captured attention, Obama and Trump were observed engaging in cordial conversation and sharing smiles before the service began. The gathering also included former Vice Presidents Al Gore and Mike Pence, with the latter exchanging handshakes with Trump upon arrival.

During the ceremony, Steven Ford, son of President Gerald Ford, provided a moment of levity when he read a tribute from his late father that quipped 'two presidents in a room is one too many' - drawing smiles and laughter from the five presidents in attendance.

The service marks the culmination of six days of national remembrance that began in Plains, Georgia, Carter's birthplace and longtime home. Following the Washington service, Carter's remains will be transported back to Georgia aboard Air Force One for an invitation-only funeral at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, where he taught Sunday School for decades after leaving office.

Carter will be laid to rest next to his wife Rosalynn, who preceded him in death, in a plot near their home - the same house they built before his first state Senate campaign in 1962.