American Flags Raised to Full-Staff for Trump Inauguration Despite Jimmy Carter's Mourning Period

Mar. 15, 2025

American flags are back to full-staff at the U.S. Capitol in honor ofDonald Trump’s inauguration, breaking from theU.S. flag code’s guidelines for mourning a president.Immediately after PresidentJimmy Carterdied on Dec. 29, 2024, PresidentJoe Bidenorderedflags to be lowered to half-stafffor a month in honor of the Noble Peace Prize winner.Biden’s order fell in line with U.S. flag code, which calls for flags on “all federal buildings, grounds, and naval vessels” to fly at half-staff for 30 days after the death of a president.That mourning period happened to include Monday, Jan. 20, when Trump is scheduled to be sworn in to a second White House term.Though Biden made clear that he would not consider prematurely raising the flags for Inauguration Day, Republican House SpeakerMike Johnsonemerged on Jan. 14 and announced that — as the person responsible for lowering flags at the Capitol building — he would ensure that the flags were raised at the swearing-in site on Jan. 20.Though the flag code is part of law, there is no punishment for breaking its guidelines.House Speaker Mike Johnson, a loyal Trump ally, at the U.S. Capitol.Al Drago/Bloomberg via GettyTrump previously voiced his frustration that flags appeared likely to fly at half-staff during his inauguration.“The Democrats are all ‘giddy’ about our magnificent American Flag potentially being at ‘half mast’ during my Inauguration,” Trump wrote onTruth Socialon Jan. 3. “They think it’s so great, and are so happy about it because, in actuality, they don’t love our Country, they only think about themselves. Look at what they’ve done to our once GREAT America over the past four years - It’s a total mess!”Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer.He continued, “In any event, 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!”Though Trump claimed flags “may” fly at half-staff for the first time ever at a president’s inauguration, it’s untrue — flags were lowered for the death of Harry S. Truman atRichard Nixon’s second inauguration.

American flags are back to full-staff at the U.S. Capitol in honor ofDonald Trump’s inauguration, breaking from theU.S. flag code’s guidelines for mourning a president.

Immediately after PresidentJimmy Carterdied on Dec. 29, 2024, PresidentJoe Bidenorderedflags to be lowered to half-stafffor a month in honor of the Noble Peace Prize winner.

Biden’s order fell in line with U.S. flag code, which calls for flags on “all federal buildings, grounds, and naval vessels” to fly at half-staff for 30 days after the death of a president.

That mourning period happened to include Monday, Jan. 20, when Trump is scheduled to be sworn in to a second White House term.

Though Biden made clear that he would not consider prematurely raising the flags for Inauguration Day, Republican House SpeakerMike Johnsonemerged on Jan. 14 and announced that — as the person responsible for lowering flags at the Capitol building — he would ensure that the flags were raised at the swearing-in site on Jan. 20.

Though the flag code is part of law, there is no punishment for breaking its guidelines.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a loyal Trump ally, at the U.S. Capitol.Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty

Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty

Trump previously voiced his frustration that flags appeared likely to fly at half-staff during his inauguration.

“The Democrats are all ‘giddy’ about our magnificent American Flag potentially being at ‘half mast’ during my Inauguration,” Trump wrote onTruth Socialon Jan. 3. “They think it’s so great, and are so happy about it because, in actuality, they don’t love our Country, they only think about themselves. Look at what they’ve done to our once GREAT America over the past four years - It’s a total mess!”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer.

He continued, “In any event, 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!”

Though Trump claimed flags “may” fly at half-staff for the first time ever at a president’s inauguration, it’s untrue — flags were lowered for the death of Harry S. Truman atRichard Nixon’s second inauguration.

source: people.com