Biden: Trump has ‘taken a hatchet’ to Social Security Administration
Former President Joe Biden, in his first public remarks since leaving office, criticized the Trump administration’s handling of Social Security.
President Donald Trump said former President Jimmy Carter “died a happy man” during a meeting in the Oval Office on April 17.
While talking with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the White House, Trump criticized his predecessor, former President Joe Biden, saying his administration was “worse than Jimmy Carter.”
“Jimmy Carter died a happy man. You know why? Because he wasn’t the worst president, Joe Biden was,” Trump told reporters.
Carter, the 39th president of the United States, died in December 2024 at 100 years old in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. At the time of his death, Carter was the longest living president in American history.
Trump, Carter and the U.S. flag at half-staff
Although a long-time critic of Carter, Trump gave accolades to the former president.
“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,” Trump posted on social media. “He worked hard to make America a better place, and for that I give him my highest respect.”
Yet Trump was unhappy over plans for the U.S. flag to be flown at half-staff during his inauguration after Biden ordered the measure of respect following Carter’s death for 30 days – something that’s been done following a presidential death since 1954.
“In any event, because of the death of President Jimmy Carter, the Flag may, for the first time ever during an Inauguration of a future President, be at half mast,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “Nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it. Let’s see how it plays out.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson suspended the 30-day mourning period for Carter to allow flags at the U.S. Capitol to fly at full-staff at Trump’s inauguration.
Contributing: USA TODAY’s Francesca Chambers, Michael Collins, Emily DeLetter, Joey Garrison, Gabe Hauari, Jonathan Limehouse, Susan Page and Anthony Robledo
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected] and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.