Fans of the late President Jimmy Carter weren’t exactly thrilled when Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) delivered speeches during Carter’s memorial at the Capitol rotunda.
Why? Well, let’s just say there were a few eyebrow-raising moments.
For starters, Johnson mistakenly claimed that Carter served in the Army, then doubled down by adding that he worked on a submarine. Cue the collective groans from Carter enthusiasts who know their history.
Kieran Francke, a Democratic Party committee member from Chester County, Pennsylvania, was quick to set the record straight. Taking to Bluesky, Francke reminded everyone that Carter was the only U.S. president to graduate from the Naval Academy and served aboard one of the first nuclear submarines. That’s a pretty unique distinction to overlook!
Meanwhile, media coverage of the event raised some eyebrows, too. Ted Johnson, a correspondent for Deadline, noticed something peculiar—Fox News opted to skip airing the remarks entirely. Instead, they stuck with their daily show, The Five. A curious decision, considering the significance of the moment.
And speaking of speeches, Vice President Kamala Harris garnered praise for her heartfelt tribute to Carter. Retired investigative journalist Hillary Lake took to X (formerly Twitter) to commend Harris for showcasing “grace and class,” noting that her words made Mike Johnson’s effort look, well, lackluster by comparison.
Not everyone was feeling charitable about Johnson and Thune’s participation. Artist Candee Corliss didn’t hold back, saying their speeches made her skin crawl. Similarly, a retired Navy veteran expressed outrage, calling it an “abomination” for someone like Mike Johnson to talk about equality and non-discrimination while honoring a man like Carter—a president known for his unwavering commitment to those very values.