Following his presidency, Jimmy Carter, the 39th U.S. president, experienced strained relationships with several of his successors. One notable clash involved Bill Clinton, stemming from Carter's public announcement of a diplomatic success on CNN before informing Clinton directly. This incident, as reported by The New York Times, led to a heated exchange between the two former presidents. Carter also expressed disapproval of Clinton's decision to send his daughter, Chelsea, to the private Sidwell Friends School.

Further tensions arose with both George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, particularly regarding the Gulf War and the Iraq War, respectively. Carter's former Chief of Staff, Jack Watson, attributed Carter's candid, and sometimes controversial, opinions to his freedom from political constraints later in life. However, Carter's most enduring conflict was with Ronald Reagan, his 1980 election opponent. Carter reportedly resented Reagan for never extending a state dinner invitation, a sentiment he shared with Gerald Ford, further solidifying his outsider status within the "ex-presidents' club." Author Jonathan Alter, in his biography "His Very Best: Jimmy Carter, a Life," explores this dynamic, highlighting the challenges faced by other presidents in navigating their interactions with the often outspoken Carter.