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House Speaker Mike Johnson announced Tuesday that U.S. flags at the Capitol would be raised to full staff on Inauguration Day, interrupting the 30-day flag-lowering order issued by President Joe Biden following the death of former President Jimmy Carter.
The move ensures that President-elect Donald Trump’s second-term oath of office will take place under fully raised flags, a gesture Trump had publicly lobbied for.
Decision Sparks Debate Over Flag Protocol
The 30-day flag-lowering period, dictated by U.S. flag code, is a traditional tribute for deceased former presidents. It extends to all federal buildings, embassies, and military installations through Jan. 28. However, Johnson’s decision, echoed by several Republican governors, pauses the tribute specifically for Jan. 20 to honor Trump’s inauguration.
Republican governors, including Florida’s Ron DeSantis, North Dakota’s Kelly Armstrong, Alabama’s Kay Ivey, Tennessee’s Bill Lee, Iowa’s Kim Reynolds, and Texas’s Greg Abbott, have issued similar state-level orders. In their announcements, they confirmed flags would be relowered the day after the inauguration to continue honoring Carter.
“Marking President Trump’s second term with fully raised flags is a recognition of this historic day,” Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey stated.
Trump’s Push for Full-Staff Flags
Trump had previously voiced frustration over the prospect of taking his oath under half-staff flags, calling the idea disrespectful. On Jan. 3, he posted on social media, accusing Democrats of being “giddy” about the optics of lowered flags during his inauguration.
“Nobody wants to see this. No American can be happy about it,” Trump wrote, urging for a reversal of the flag-lowering protocol.
At his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, Trump raised the large U.S. flag on the property to full staff shortly after Carter’s burial, despite DeSantis’s statewide flag-lowering order.
Protocol and Precedent
The U.S. flag code dictates a 30-day half-staff tribute for deceased presidents. Biden’s original order was issued on Dec. 29 after Carter’s death and has been widely followed at federal and state levels. Johnson’s adjustment at the Capitol reflects a rare pause in the longstanding tradition.
Critics argue that the decision politicizes a solemn tribute. “The half-staff period honors all Americans who served under President Carter’s leadership. It’s not about politics,” said a bipartisan flag code expert.
Trump’s inauguration flags, however, signal a shift in protocol, with Johnson and GOP governors aligning the decision to underscore Trump’s re-election as a pivotal moment in U.S. history.
As flags fly high for Trump’s oath and then lower again the next day for Carter, this symbolic act highlights the ongoing intersection of tradition, politics, and public sentiment.
