Trump pays respects to late US president Jimmy Carter

US President-elect Donald Trump paid tribute to the late Jimmy Carter as he lay in state in Washington.

Mr Trump stood with his wife Melania for several minutes before former president Carter's flag-draped coffin in the soaring Rotunda inside the US Capitol, then took a deep breath and Melania's hand as they turned and left.

Four years ago, the same space was stormed by Mr Trump supporters seeking - unsuccessfully - to prevent certification of his election loss to President Joe Biden.

However, he made a remarkable comeback in last year's November vote, and will be inaugurated as the 47th US president on 20 January - though flags will be flying at half-staff during the ceremony, in honour of Mr Carter.

That is part of a customary 30-day mourning period for a US president, though Mr Trump has criticised it, saying "no Americans can be happy" about the lowered flags as he takes over from Mr Biden.

Mr Carter, who died on December 29 at the age of 100, served a single term from 1977-1981 and was widely praised for his post-presidential humanitarian efforts, for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

His body has been lying in state at the Capitol for members of the public to pay their respects to a man who was panned for his political instincts while in office, but redefined what a post-presidency could look like.

A state funeral service is to be held later today at the National Cathedral, an Episcopal church in Washington that also hosted funerals for former presidents Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush.

Mr Biden is to deliver the eulogy for his fellow Democrat, while the US president-elect along with the other three living former presidents - Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama - are expected to attend.