WASHINGTON — Very shortly after being sworn into his second presidential term, President Donald Trump signed an order to ensure flags on federal government grounds will fly at full-staff on Inauguration Day.
As Trump took office, some states were flying flags at half-staff and some weren’t. The issue surfaced because of the timing of the death of the late President Jimmy Carter, which prompted flags to be flown at half staff. But President Trump and others protested and demanded flags be raised for his inauguration.
House Speaker Mike Johnson had ordered flags raised at the U.S. Capitol, where the swearing-in ceremony took place.
“In honor of Inauguration Day and everything good and noble that it represents about our Nation, our people, and our form of Government, I hereby order that, on this and all future Inauguration Days, the flag of the United States shall be flown at full-staff,” the order read.
The order came after former President Biden issued a proclamation to have U.S. flags be lowered for 30 days, as is tradition, to honor the late President Jimmy Carter.
The proclamation followed U.S. flag code which states “The flag shall be flown at half-staff 30 days from the death of the President or a former President; 10 days from the day of death of the Vice President, the Chief Justice or a retired Chief Justice of the United States, or the Speaker of the House of Representatives; from the day of death until interment of an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, a Secretary of an executive or military department, a former Vice President, or the Governor of a State, territory, or possession; and on the day of death and the following day for a Member of Congress.”
The order was issued Dec. 29, 2024, causing a bit of a stir since it ran through Inauguration Day until Jan. 28.
Trump, and others, expressed frustration at this, causing 30 states to fly their flags at full staff while the remaining 20 left their flags at half-staff — even though Biden’s proclamation only applied to federal property, such as the White House and national parks.
Flags on federal property, including the White House and U.S. Capitol will return to half-staff in honor of Carter.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.