Melania Trump joins Donald in the Capitol Rotunda to pay respects to Jimmy Carter ahead of his funeral

By JON MICHAEL RAASCH, CONGRESSIONAL REPORTER ON CAPITOL HILL, FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

Published: | Updated:

Donald Trump arrived on Capitol Hill on Wednesday with wife Melania for meetings with Republicans and to pay their respects to Jimmy Carter.

The 78-year-old president-elect said it was ‘great’ to be back in Congress before heading into the Capitol Rotunda and for talks with the GOP.

Trump is in Washington D.C. to pay respects to the mourn the late President Carter at his funeral on Thursday. 

In just 12 days, he will take the oath of office on the steps outside the building and be sworn in, capping off a historic political comeback.

The incoming first couple walked into the Capitol Rotunda and stood by his casket for a moment of silence.

Melania, dressed in black, held her husband’s hand as they walked through Congress in front of watching reporters and photographers.

Their appearance came just hours after Capitol Police arrested a man for trying to enter the complex with a machete and three knives

Carter has been lying in state in Washington D.C. since Tuesday afternoon ahead of his state funeral.

Dignitaries from around the world, including the living former presidents, are expected to attend.

President Joe Biden, 82, in one of his last acts in office will delivery a eulogy before his trip to Rome. 

Donald Trump arrived on Capitol Hill on Wednesday with wife Melania for meetings with Republicans and to pay their respects to Jimmy Carter

The incoming first couple walked into the Capitol Rotunda and stood by his casket for a moment of silence

Trump is in Washington D.C. to pay respects to the mourn the late President Carter at his funeral on Thursday

The 78-year-old president-elect said it was ‘great’ to be back in Congress before heading into the Capitol Rotunda and for talks with the GOP

Before entering the rotunda, Trump also told reporters that he’s ‘looking’ at doing one bill versus two bills in a massive reconciliation package to fund the government and advance several of his main initiatives.

‘It doesn’t matter, we’re going to get the result’ he went on adding ‘Make American Great Again!’

His vision for a ‘big beautiful bill’ includes combining border security measures and extending the tax cuts he introduced back in 2017. 

Melania, dressed in black, held her husband’s hand as they walked through Congress in front of watching reporters and photographers

Their appearance came just hours after Capitol Police arrested a man for trying to enter the complex with a machete and three knives

Donald and Melania stand by Jimmy Carter’s flag-draped casket for a moment of reflection in the Capitol Rotunda 

‘We must Secure our Border, Unleash American Energy, and Renew the Trump Tax Cuts, which were the largest in History, but we will make it even better,’ he previously stated.

‘NO TAX ON TIPS. IT WILL ALL BE MADE UP WITH TARIFFS, AND MUCH MORE, FROM COUNTRIES THAT HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE U.S. FOR YEARS,’ he continued.

The ‘no tax on tips’ provision was a promise he made on the campaign trail.

The president-elect will begin his second term in the White House on January 20 after the GOP-controlled 119th Congress convened on Friday.

But Republicans have very little margin for error in their rowdy conference as they set out to achieve Trump’s agenda.

They hold just a three-seat majority in the Senate and will temporarily have an almost non-existent majority in the House once the president-elect takes office.

‘Republicans must unite, and quickly deliver these Historic Victories for the American People. Get smart, tough, and send the Bill to my desk to sign as soon as possible,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Read More

  • Related Posts

    Trump freezes all immigration applications from 19 countries

    The White House has paused all immigration applications from 19 countries and canceled citizenship ceremonies across the US, citing national security and public safety concerns.   The freeze could affect more than…

    Trump administration to direct more water to California farms

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Trump administration is making good on a promise to send more water to California farmers in the state’s crop-rich Central Valley. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation…

    You Missed

    Cyber Monday 2025 UK deals live: The best offers still on after Black Friday on big-name brands

    • By poster
    • December 15, 2025
    • 1 views
    Cyber Monday 2025 UK deals live: The best offers still on after Black Friday on big-name brands

    Ex-City minister and Labour MP Tulip Siddiq found guilty in corruption trial and sentenced to two years in jail

    • By poster
    • December 15, 2025
    • 1 views
    Ex-City minister and Labour MP Tulip Siddiq found guilty in corruption trial and sentenced to two years in jail

    Benefits claimants in Britain’s ‘most deprived’ seaside town are ‘absolutely delighted’ with Rachel Reeves’ £16billion Budget giveaway

    • By poster
    • December 15, 2025
    • 1 views
    Benefits claimants in Britain’s ‘most deprived’ seaside town are ‘absolutely delighted’ with Rachel Reeves’ £16billion Budget giveaway

    Made in Britain, ISIS’s new leader: Terror network’s latest chief ‘preached in British mosques for years after being given sanctuary as a migrant in Sweden’

    • By poster
    • December 15, 2025
    • 1 views
    Made in Britain, ISIS’s new leader: Terror network’s latest chief ‘preached in British mosques for years after being given sanctuary as a migrant in Sweden’

    Eye-popping truth about what really happens at a Butlin’s adults-only weekend. There’s so many whispers among middle-aged of what the cheerful camps have become notorious for. Now ANDY JONES’s investigation reveals ALL… prudes, look away

    • By poster
    • December 15, 2025
    • 1 views
    Eye-popping truth about what really happens at a Butlin’s adults-only weekend. There’s so many whispers among middle-aged of what the cheerful camps have become notorious for. Now ANDY JONES’s investigation reveals ALL… prudes, look away

    Denmark scraps letters: Postal service will stop delivering mail due to fall in demand

    • By poster
    • December 13, 2025
    • 3 views
    Denmark scraps letters: Postal service will stop delivering mail due to fall in demand