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What happens during a presidential funeral and a look back at past funerals

Published

1 year ago

January 4, 2025

What happens during a presidential funeral and a look back at past funerals

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(Original Caption) Billy Graham delivers the sermon at the graveside services for former President Lyndon B. Johnson at the family cemetery on the LBJ Ranch.

ATLANTA – A presidential funeral in the United States is a carefully orchestrated event, blending solemn traditions and heartfelt tributes. It spans several days and includes multiple stages, giving the nation time to mourn and honor its former leader. Here’s an easy-to-follow breakdown of what happens during these historic occasions:

1. The Initial Announcement

When a former president passes away, the sitting president issues an official proclamation to announce their death. Flags are lowered to half-staff across the country for 30 days as a sign of national mourning. The Department of Defense is tasked with organizing a state funeral to honor the late president’s service.

2. Local Ceremonies

Before heading to Washington, D.C., there are usually private ceremonies in the president’s home state or city.

Private Service: Close family and friends gather for a quiet memorial.
Lying in Repose: The president’s body is placed at a significant location, such as a presidential library, where local residents can pay their respects.

3. Washington, D.C. Ceremonies

The capital plays a major role in the state funeral. Here’s what happens:

Arrival in Washington: The president’s remains are flown to D.C., often on a special aircraft designated for this purpose.
Procession Through the City: The casket is transported with military honors, often by a horse-drawn caisson. This symbolic journey reflects the nation’s respect.
Lying in State: The casket is placed in the Capitol Rotunda, where the public can pay their respects. A special platform called the Lincoln Catafalque, first used for Abraham Lincoln, supports the casket.
State Funeral Service: A formal ceremony is held, usually at the Washington National Cathedral, featuring eulogies from notable figures like current and former presidents, hymns, and prayers.

4. The Final Goodbye and Burial

After the ceremonies in Washington, the president’s remains are returned to their chosen burial site, often their hometown or a location of personal significance.

Private Funeral: A smaller, more intimate service is held for family and close friends.
Interment: The president is laid to rest, often with military honors such as a 21-gun salute or a flyover.

Ceremonial Highlights

Throughout the process, several traditions make these funerals uniquely presidential:

Military Honors: Elite honor guards and military bands participate, reflecting the president’s role as commander-in-chief.
21-Gun Salute: This traditional military tribute honors the late president’s service.
Eulogies: Delivered by prominent leaders, these heartfelt tributes celebrate the president’s life and legacy.

A Time for National Mourning

The entire process, from the initial announcement to the burial, typically lasts 7 to 10 days. It allows Americans to grieve collectively, remember the president’s contributions, and reflect on their impact on the nation.

RELATED: PHOTOS: Ceremonies begin for former President Jimmy Carter | 1924-2024

A Look at the Last 8 Presidents

Joint services military honor guards carry the casket of former U.S. President George H.W. Bush to a Union Pacific train in Spring, Texas, U.S., on Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018. Bush, the longest-living president in U.S. history at age 94, died at his home

George H.W. Bush (41st President)

Died: Nov. 30, 2018
Funeral: A state funeral spanned several days in Texas and Washington, D.C. Bush lay in state at the U.S. Capitol before a service at the National Cathedral. Attendees included President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, former presidents, first ladies, and foreign dignitaries.
Highlights: His remains were transported via a train painted in an Air Force One color scheme, reflecting his love of trains.
Burial Site: George H.W. Bush Presidential Library, College Station, Texas, alongside his wife, Barbara, and daughter Robin.
Estimated Cost: $500,000–$2 million

washington, UNITED STATES: Betty Ford pauses at the flag draped casket of her husband and former US president Gerald R. Ford, as he lies in state in the Rotunda of the US Capitol Building in Washington DC, 01 January 2007. Ford died in California on

Gerald Ford (38th President)

Died: Dec. 26, 2006
Funeral: Ceremonies took place in California, Washington, D.C., and Michigan. Services included a memorial at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church, lying in state at the Capitol, and a funeral at the National Cathedral.
Highlights: Ford’s body lay in repose at his presidential museum in Michigan, where 67,000 people paid their respects.
Burial Site: Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, Grand Rapids, Michigan, alongside his wife, Betty Ford.
Estimated Cost: $7 million

TOPSHOT – Former US First Lady Nancy Reagan (C), escorted by Maj. Gen. Galen B. Jackman, watches 09 June, 2004, as the guard honor carries the casket bearing the remains of her husband former US president Ronald Reagan to the presidential airplane fo

Ronald Reagan (40th President)

Died: June 5, 2004
Funeral: A week-long state funeral included services in California, Washington, D.C., and a private burial at the Reagan Library. Reagan lay in repose for two days at the library and later in state at the Capitol, where 100,000 mourners visited.
Highlights: A sunset burial service marked the return of large-scale presidential state funerals.
Burial Site: Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Simi Valley, California.
Estimated Cost: $400 million (including extensive security costs).

Flowers for Richard Nixon’s Funeral (Photo by �� Steve Starr/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)

Richard Nixon (37th President)

Died: April 22, 1994
Funeral: A private service held at the Nixon Presidential Library in California, attended by world leaders and five living presidents.
Highlights: Nixon lay in repose at the library, where 50,000 people waited up to 18 hours to pay their respects.
Burial Site: Nixon Library, Yorba Linda, California, alongside his wife, Pat.
Estimated Cost: Approximately $200,000

Honor guard bearing former Pres. Richard Nixon’s flag-draped coffin during funeral service (Rev. Billy Graham at far L). (Photo by Diana Walker/Getty Images)

Lyndon B. Johnson (36th President)

Died: Jan. 22, 1973
Funeral: Services included ceremonies in Washington, D.C., and Texas. Johnson lay in state at the Capitol and was later buried with military honors on his ranch.
Highlights: A Texas National Guard Unit fired a 21-gun salute during his burial.
Burial Site: Johnson Family Cemetery, Stonewall, Texas, alongside Lady Bird Johnson.
Estimated Cost: Likely under $500,000

Funeral of american president John F. Kennedy on november 25, 1963 in Washington : Edward “Ted” Kennedy, Jackie kennedy with her children Caroline and John-John, Robert “Bob” Kennedy. (Photo by Apic/Bridgeman via Getty Images)

John F. Kennedy (35th President)

Died: Nov. 22, 1963
Funeral: A three-day event following his assassination. Kennedy lay in repose at the White House, then in state at the Capitol, before a funeral Mass at St. Matthew’s Cathedral.
Highlights: Jacqueline Kennedy lit the eternal flame at his Arlington gravesite. The funeral was the first to be televised.
Burial Site: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia.
Estimated Cost: Roughly $4 million (adjusted for inflation).

Funeral of Harry Truman, miscellaneous views of casket as it lies in state of Truman Library. (Photo by UPI Color/Bettmann Archive/Getty Images)

Harry S. Truman (33rd President)

Died: Dec. 26, 1972
Funeral: Truman requested a modest funeral. Services included a private memorial at the Truman Library and a public memorial at the National Cathedral.
Highlights: His body passed by the Truman home, where Bess Truman watched from a window.
Burial Site: Truman Library, Independence, Missouri, alongside his wife, Bess.
Estimated Cost: Likely under $100,000

The late President Franklin Delano Roosevelt is laid to rest in the rose garden of his Hyde Park estate. Mourners and military officers gather to pay their last respects. | Location: Hyde Park, New York, USA.

Franklin D. Roosevelt (32nd President)

Died: April 12, 1945
Funeral: Services were held at the White House and St. John’s Episcopal Church before his burial at Hyde Park.
Highlights: Thousands lined the train route from Warm Springs, Georgia, to New York. The ceremonies were scaled down due to WWII.
Burial Site: Springwood Estate, Hyde Park, New York, alongside Eleanor Roosevelt.
Estimated Cost: Unknown

Costs for Future Presidential Funerals

Modern presidential funerals have become increasingly expensive due to heightened security and larger public ceremonies. Estimated costs for future funerals could reach $8–10 million or more.

Presidents Still Living

Joe Biden (46th President)
Donald Trump (45th President)
Barack Obama (44th President)
George W. Bush (43rd President)
Bill Clinton (42nd President)

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Supreme Court blocks redrawing of New York congressional map, dealing a win for GOP

Published

12 hours ago

March 2, 2026

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Supreme Court blocks redrawing of New York congressional map, dealing a win for GOP

The Supreme Court

Win McNamee/Getty Images

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The Supreme Court on Monday intervened in New York’s redistricting process, blocking a lower court decision that would likely have flipped a Republican congressional district into a Democratic district.

At issue is the midterm redrawing of New York’s 11th congressional district, including Staten Island and a small part of Brooklyn. The district is currently held by a Republican, but on Jan. 21, a state Supreme Court judge ruled that the current district dilutes the power of Black and Latino voters in violation of the state constitution.

GOP Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, who represents the district, and the Republican co-chair of the state Board of Elections promptly appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, asking the justices to block the redrawing as an unconstitutional “racial gerrymander.” New York’s congressional election cycle was set to officially begin Feb. 24, the opening day for candidates to seek placement on the ballot.

As in this year’s prior mid-decade redistricting fights — in Texas and California — the Trump administration backed the Republicans.

Voters and the State of New York contended it’s too soon for the Supreme Court to wade into this dispute. New York’s highest state court has not issued a final judgment, so the voters asserted that if the Supreme Court grants relief now “future stay applicants will see little purpose in waiting for state court rulings before coming to this Court” and “be rewarded for such gamesmanship.” The state argues this is an issue for “New York courts, not federal courts” to resolve, and there is sufficient time for the dispute to be resolved on the merits.

The court majority explained the decision to intervene in 101 words, which the three dissenting liberal justices summarized as “Rules for thee, but not for me.”

The unsigned majority order does not explain the Court’s rationale. It says only how long the stay will last, until the case moves through the New York State appeals courts. If, however, the losing party petitions and the court agrees to hear the challenge, the stay extends until the final opinion is announced.

Dissenting from the decision were Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson. Writing for the three, Sotomayor said that if nonfinal decisions of a state trial court can be brought to highest court, “then every decision from any court is now fair game.” More immediately, she noted, “By granting these applications, the Court thrusts itself into the middle of every election-law dispute around the country, even as many States redraw their congressional maps ahead of the 2026 election.”

Monday’s Supreme Court action deviates from the court’s hands-off pattern in these mid-term redistricting fights this year. In two previous cases — from Texas and California — the court refused to intervene, allowing newly drawn maps to stay in effect.

Requests for Supreme Court intervention on redistricting issues has been a recurring theme this term, a trend that is likely to grow. Earlier last month the high court allowed California to use a voter-approved, Democratic-friendly map. California’s redistricting came in response to a GOP-friendly redistricting plan in Texas that the Supreme Court also permitted to move forward. These redistricting efforts are expected to offset one another.

But the high court itself has yet to rule on a challenge to Louisiana’s voting map, which was drawn by the state legislature after the decennial census in order to create a second majority-Black district. Since the drawing of that second majority-black district, the state has backed away from that map, hoping to return to a plan that provides for only one majority-minority district.

The Supreme Court’s consideration of the Louisiana case has stretched across two terms. The justices failed to resolve the case last term and chose to order a second round of arguments this term adding a new question: Does the state’s intentional creation of a second majority-minority district violate the constitution’s Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments’ guarantee of the right to vote and the authority of Congress to enforce that mandate?
Following the addition of the new question, the state of Louisiana flipped positions to oppose the map it had just drawn and defended in court. Whether the Supreme Court follows suit remains to be seen. But the tone of the October argument suggested that the court’s conservative supermajority is likely to continue undercutting the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

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Map: Earthquake Shakes Central California

Published

21 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Map: Earthquake Shakes Central California

Note: Map shows the area with a shake intensity of 3 or greater, which U.S.G.S. defines as “weak,” though the earthquake may be felt outside the areas shown. All times on the map are Pacific time. The New York Times

A minor earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 3.5 struck in Central California on Monday, according to the United States Geological Survey.

The temblor happened at 7:17 a.m. Pacific time about 6 miles northwest of Pinnacles, Calif., data from the agency shows.

As seismologists review available data, they may revise the earthquake’s reported magnitude. Additional information collected about the earthquake may also prompt U.S.G.S. scientists to update the shake-severity map.

Source: United States Geological Survey | Notes: Shaking categories are based on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale. When aftershock data is available, the corresponding maps and charts include earthquakes within 100 miles and seven days of the initial quake. All times above are Pacific time. Shake data is as of Monday, March 2 at 10:20 a.m. Eastern. Aftershocks data is as of Monday, March 2 at 11:18 a.m. Eastern.

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US says Kuwait accidentally shot down 3 American jets

Published

1 day ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

US says Kuwait accidentally shot down 3 American jets

The U.S. and Israel have been conducting strikes against targets in Iran since Saturday morning, with the aim of toppling Tehran’s clerical regime. Iran has fired back, with retaliatory assaults featuring missiles and drones targeting several Gulf countries and American bases in the Middle East.

“All six aircrew ejected safely, have been safely recovered, and are in stable condition. Kuwait has acknowledged this incident, and we are grateful for the efforts of the Kuwaiti defense forces and their support in this ongoing operation,” Central Command said.

“The cause of the incident is under investigation. Additional information will be released as it becomes available,” it added.

In a separate statement later Monday, Central Command said that American forces had been killed during combat since the strikes began.

“As of 7:30 am ET, March 2, four U.S. service members have been killed in action. The fourth service member, who was seriously wounded during Iran’s initial attacks, eventually succumbed to their injuries,” it said.

Major combat operations continue and our response effort is ongoing. The identities of the fallen are being withheld until 24 hours after next of kin notification,” Central Command added.

This story has been updated.