Trump fumes over half-mast US flags at his inauguration

The White House has refused to reconsider keeping the flags at half-mast in honor of the late President Jimmy Carter

US President-elect Donald Trump has expressed strong disapproval of the decision to keep American flags at half-staff during his inauguration on January 20, 2025. The flags were ordered lowered by President Joe Biden in honor of former President Jimmy Carter, who passed away on December 29 at the age of 100.

According to US flag code, flags should remain at half-staff for 30 days following the death of a current or former president, extending this period until January 28.

In a statement released on Friday, Trump accused Democrats of being pleased by the prospect of flags remaining at half-staff during his inauguration, suggesting it reflects a lack of patriotism.

“The Democrats are all 'giddy' about our magnificent American Flag potentially being at 'half mast' during my Inauguration,” he said. “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.”

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Trump claimed it would be “the first time ever” that US flags are flown at half-mast during a presidential inauguration, insisting that “nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it.”

US flags had flown at half-staff when former President Richard Nixon was sworn in for his second term in January 1973, after he ordered them lowered following the death of former President Harry S. Truman.

Historically, there have also been instances where the 30-day half-staff period was temporarily adjusted at the discretion of the sitting president. In 1973, following the death of former President Lyndon B. Johnson, Nixon ordered flags raised to full-staff for one day to honor returning American prisoners of war from Vietnam before lowering them again to continue the mourning period.

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Trump has previously expressed dissatisfaction with the practice of lowering flags. In 2018, following the death of Senator John McCain, flags were briefly returned to full-staff before being lowered again after public outcry.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre responded to Trump’s remarks, stating that the Biden administration does not intend to reconsider the decision to keep flags at half-staff during the inauguration.