How to watch Jimmy Carter’s funeral on TV or stream it online for free

President Joe Biden proclaimed that today (Thursday, January 9, 2025) would be a National Day of Mourning after former president Jimmy Carter passed away on December 29, 2024.

The centenarian served a single term and became the longest living president. While the first line of Carter’s biography will always be his tenure as POTUS, his humanitarian efforts and role as an elder statesman almost outshine his term in office.

Biden called on the American people to “assemble” and “pay homage” to Carter’s memory. Here is how to do that by tuning into his state funeral in Washington D.C. and what closures may impact you afterward.

A week of events honoring Carter

Beyond the Day of Mourning, several events have honored Carter’s legacy. On Saturday, January 4, his body was transported via motorcade from Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, Georgia, to Atlanta, stopping along the way in Plains. A private service was held in the capital and the public was able to pay their respects at the Carter Center.

On Tuesday, Carter’s body traveled to Washington, D.C. A service was held for lawmakers to commemorate his life while the public was able to say goodbye until Thursday morning.

When are the funeral services on Thursday?

Thursday’s national funeral service is scheduled to take place at 10 a.m. ET and expected to last an hour and 15 minutes.

Following the ceremony, Carter’s body will fly back to Plains, Georgia. After a private funeral at Maranatha Baptist Church, Carter will be laid to rest alongside his beloved Rosalynn at their family home.

How can I watch or stream Jimmy Carter’s funeral live?

All networks will be covering this historic day so traditional cable subscribers or those with an over-the-air antenna are set.

• ABC: Coverage will be led by David Muir with support from presidential historian Mark Updegrove.
• CBS: Norah O’Donnell will anchor CBS with some help from John Dickerson and Margaret Brennan.
• CNN: Coverage starts at 8 a.m. E.T. and will feature Wolf Blitzer and Jake Tapper, with Anderson Cooper joining from New York. 

If you cut the cord and don’t have an over-the-air antenna, you can try a live-TV streaming service. Those include:

• Hulu + Live TV
• Fubo
• YouTube TV

Additionally, you can stream the service for free on the YouTube page for PBS NewsHour. We’ve also embedded that video below.

Finally, you can watch the funeral on C-SPAN.org.

What closures can I expect today?

Biden ordered “all executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government” to close. This means Federal employees will get a paid day off.

According to the New York Times, the Supreme Court, federal courts, and the Library of Congress will not conduct business. The mail will not be delivered although there will be limited package service. Banks are not required to close but the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq will take the day off.

Flags will fly at half-staff for 30 days because of President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s 1954 proclamation. This means the flags will remain lowered on President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration day, which, according to his post on Truth Social, he is not happy about.