Stony-faced and silent, 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 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 Jan 20 – though flags will be flying at half-staff during the ceremony, in honour of Carter.

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

Carter, who died on Dec 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 will lie in state at the Capitol until Thursday 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 on Thursday at the National Cathedral, an Episcopal church in Washington that also hosted funerals for former presidents Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford and George HW Bush.

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