The major crisis that hurt Jimmy Carter politically at the end of his administration was the Iran Hostage Crisis. Beginning in November 1979, fifty- two American diplomats and citizens were taken hostage at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran by Iranian militants, supporters of the Iranian Revolution. This crisis lasted 444 days, dominating the final year of Carter's presidency and severely damaging his political standing
. Carter’s handling of the crisis, including a failed rescue mission called Operation Eagle Claw in April 1980, further weakened his position. The operation ended in disaster with the deaths of eight American servicemen, which bolstered the hardliners in Iran and diminished Carter’s domestic support
. Although Carter worked tirelessly to secure the hostages' release, the prolonged captivity and the failure of the rescue attempt contributed substantially to his defeat in the 1980 presidential election against Ronald Reagan
. Additionally, Carter faced an economic crisis characterized by inflation, energy shortages, and a "crisis of confidence" among the American public, which he addressed in his famous 1979 "malaise" speech. This speech acknowledged the nation's deep-seated economic and psychological challenges but did not reverse the decline in his popularity
. In summary, the Iran Hostage Crisis was the pivotal event that politically damaged Jimmy Carter at the end of his presidency, compounded by economic difficulties and a perceived crisis of national confidence. The hostages were released only minutes after Carter left office in January 1981
