Jason Carter says grandfather ready to ‘turn page’ on Trump era

Jason Carter, the oldest of former President Carter’s grandchildren, said Tuesday that his grandfather is “excited” to vote for Vice President Harris and ready to “turn the page” on former President Trump.

Jason Carter was speaking with Blake Burman of “The Hill on NewsNation” ahead of the former president’s 100th birthday party Tuesday night. He actually turns 100 on Oct. 1.

The younger Carter said the whole family was ready to move on from the Trump era, while also condemning what authorities have said was a second assassination attempt on Trump in the span of three months, while the 45th president was golfing in Florida on Sunday.

“He is also really excited to vote for Kamala Harris. And so for my family and for him [former President Carter] in particular, he’s ready to turn the page on the Donald Trump era, but of course the Carter Center has been involved with democratic elections around the world,” Jason Carter said in the interview, which will air Tuesday night.

“Obviously any political violence is an outrage. We all need to find a way — no matter how this election comes out — to come together as a community and a party, as a country, and we all are hoping for that. I know he hopes for that. So whoever it is that wins, we want to make sure to know this country and this democracy comes first. And whoever wins the election, we will work with them,” he added.

Former President Carter entered hospice in February 2023. Yet his family says he has continued to follow current events, and Jason Carter said Tuesday that his grandfather is doing “remarkably well.”

“He went into hospice 18 months ago. And we didn’t we think we were ever going to get to this moment. And here we are. He is an incredible person. He is engaged in the world still. He is physically diminished, but he is still there. He is looking forward to celebrating his birthday,” Jason Carter said.

No U.S. president has lived to be as old as Carter, nor has any lived as long after leaving the White House as he has. The Carter Center is holding a musical event Tuesday night to celebrate his upcoming centennial birthday.

“Whether it was on his record player, on the campaign trail, or on the White House lawn, music has been — and continues to be — a source of joy, comfort, and inspiration for my grandfather,” Jason Carter said in a press release about the event. “I can think of no better way to celebrate him and his 100th birthday than a night of music.”