House Speaker Mike Johnson has announced that he will order the U.S. flags at the Capitol to be raised to full-staff on January 20 to mark President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, despite a White House proclamation keeping the flags at half-staff in honor of the late former President Jimmy Carter. Johnson confirmed his decision during a GOP press conference on Tuesday, stating that the flags would fly at full-staff on Inauguration Day to celebrate the country coming together for Trump’s inauguration. The flags would then be lowered back to half-staff the following day to continue honoring Carter.
Trump had previously expressed frustration about the flags potentially remaining at half-staff during his inauguration, calling it an unprecedented situation. However, this wouldn’t be the first time flags have flown at half-staff during a presidential inauguration—such as in 1973, when the death of President Harry Truman led to flags being flown at half-staff during Richard Nixon’s second inaugural ceremony.
The U.S. Code mandates that flags be flown at half-staff for 30 days following the death of a president or former president, which is why the White House decided to keep the flags lowered through Inauguration Day. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre indicated earlier this month that the administration would not reconsider this decision.
Meanwhile, several Republican governors, including Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, have announced that the flags in their states will be raised on Inauguration Day.
