Donald Trump is not holding back! He’s upset about the U.S. flags being flown at half-staff in honor of Jimmy Carter during his upcoming inauguration. The former president took to Truth Social on January 3 to share his frustration: “nobody wants to see this.”
Trump slams Democrats’ Reaction
Trump is making it clear he doesn’t like the idea. He lashed out at the gesture, aimed at honoring the late Jimmy Carter. He isn’t buying the emotional reaction from the Democrats. He says they are “giddy” about the American flag flying at half-mast.
“They think it’s so great,” Trump wrote. “But they don’t love our Country. They only think about themselves.” According to him, the Democrats have ruined the country. “Look at what they’ve done to our once GREAT America over the past four years,” Trump added. “It’s a total mess!”
The History of Flags at half-staff
Now, he’s focused on the idea that flags may fly at half-staff during his inauguration on January 20, due to Carter’s death. Trump claims it will be a first in history, but he’s wrong. This has happened before—back in 1973, when Richard Nixon was inaugurated for his second term.
At Nixon‘s swearing-in, flags were lowered in honor of former President Harry S. Truman, who had passed away the previous December. This wasn’t a one-off either. The tradition of flying flags at half-staff when a president or former president dies was established by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1954.
Trump’s statement that this would be the first time the flag is flown at half-staff during an inauguration is simply untrue. He clearly missed this historical detail.
The Tradition of flying Flags at half-staff
Trump’s frustration doesn’t stop there. He went on to say, “Because of the death of President Jimmy Carter, the Flag may, for the first time ever during an Inauguration of a future President, be at half mast ... nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it … let’s see how it plays out. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
The half-staff tradition stems from a rule by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. According to this guideline, flags are lowered for 30 days following the death of a president or former president, at all federal buildings, naval vessels, and military installations across the nation and its territories.
Trump’s Condolences for Carter’s Death
While Trump’s anger is clear, his stance has drawn attention, especially after his recent comments about Carter. At a Mar-a-Lago New Year’s Eve party on December 31, Trump told reporters that he had been invited to Carter’s funeral and planned to attend. The funeral will take place in Georgia and Washington, D.C., between January 4 and January 9.
Trump may not like the idea of the flag flying at half-staff, but he did express his condolences following Carter’s death. On Truth Social, Trump paid tribute, acknowledging the challenges Carter faced as president and the work he did for the American people. He wrote, “The challenges Jimmy faced as President came at a pivotal time for our country, and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude.“
Trump added, “I, along with Melania, are thinking warmly of the Carter Family and their loved ones during this difficult time. We urge everyone to keep them in their hearts and prayers.”
Honoring Jimmy Carter
While Trump is not happy about the flag situation, the rest of the country is still focused on honoring the life and legacy of Jimmy Carter. In the coming days, the nation will say goodbye to the 39th president, with Trump still planning to attend the funeral.
It remains to be seen how the flag situation will unfold. Trump’s discontent is clear, but the history and tradition behind flying the flag at half-staff cannot be ignored. Whether he likes it or not, the country will continue to honor Carter in its own way. As for Trump, he’s got more pressing matters on his mind as he prepares for his own big day on January 20.
