President-elect Donald Trump has voiced his displeasure regarding the flag’s half-staff status during his upcoming inauguration later this month. This directive was established by President Joe Biden as a tribute to the recently deceased former President Jimmy Carter, who passed away on Sunday at the age of 100. Unfortunately for Trump, he cannot alter this order until he officially assumes office.
The lowering of flags to half-staff occurs as a mark of respect upon the death of a president. On Sunday, President Biden announced that all U.S. flags are to be flown at half-staff in recognition of the late Jimmy Carter. This gesture signifies a period of mourning for the nation or state involved. The U.S. flag code provides guidelines for this practice, mandating a 30-day mourning period for current or former presidents. During this time, flags at federal government buildings, U.S. embassies, military bases, and other locations must be lowered.
Besides presidents, other officials’ deaths—such as those of vice presidents, Supreme Court justices, and congressional members—merit flagLowering, though the period for these is generally shorter. In specific scenarios, flags may also be lowered for national tragedies or on Memorial Day. Since it is mandated that no flag can fly higher than the American flag, state flags are also lowered during such periods.
As per Biden’s announcement, U.S. flags will remain at half-staff until January 28, 2024, thirty days after Carter’s passing. This implies that when Trump is inaugurated on January 20, flags will be lowered for the initial week of his presidency.
The authority to order flags to be flown at half-staff resides with the president, governors, and the mayor of the District of Columbia, as outlined by the U.S. General Services Administration. In response to flag status, Trump remarked on social media that “Democrats are all ‘giddy'” concerning the half-staff flags during his presidency, highlighting that he believes no American should take pleasure in this sentiment. He concluded with a positive hopeful phrase, “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
When queried about Trump’s social media remarks during a recent press briefing, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated that President Biden would not reconsider the half-staff orders.
Once he is president, Trump could choose to raise the flags back up, as U.S. flag code does indicate that the lowering of flags is not an obligatory rule. Historical precedents exist, such as when former President Richard Nixon raised flags that were initially ordered to half-staff after the death of President Lyndon Johnson, in order to honor American POWs returning from Vietnam, though this deviation lasted just 24 hours before flags returned to half-staff for the remaining mourning period.
Trump has previously taken issue with the practice of lowering flags. For instance, after the passing of Arizona Republican Senator John McCain in 2018—despite their contentious relationship—the flags were initially lowered but were raised back up to full staff prematurely. It was only after public outcry from both Republicans and Democrats that the flags were lowered once more. Although former presidents attended McCain’s funeral, his family had explicitly requested that Trump refrain from attending.
