House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is standing by a decision that has sparked outrage among Democrats but received praise from his Republican colleagues as a strong affirmation of American unity. On Tuesday, Johnson announced that flags at the U.S. Capitol would fly at full-staff on January 20, the day of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, to honor the peaceful transition of power. This move will temporarily interrupt the 30-day mourning period for former President Jimmy Carter, who passed away on December 29 at the age of 100.
“On January 20th, the flags at the Capitol will fly at full-staff to celebrate our country coming together behind the inauguration of our 47th President, Donald Trump,” Johnson tweeted, prioritizing unity and hope the day represents. “The flags will be lowered back to half-staff the following day to continue honoring President Jimmy Carter.” Lowering the U.S. flag to half-staff to honor a fallen president has been a time-honored tradition since the mid-20th century.
The practice of flying the flag at half-staff, originally rooted in maritime customs, evolved on land as a symbol of mourning for important figures and national tragedies. Formal guidelines for this practice were established in 1954 through a proclamation by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, which standardized flag protocol. According to the proclamation, the flag is to be lowered for 30 days following the death of a sitting or former president. This solemn tribute is observed at federal buildings, military posts, and other public spaces.
“The Democrats are all ‘giddy’ about our magnificent American Flag potentially being at ‘half mast’ during my Inauguration,” Trump wrote on Truth Social earlier this month. “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! 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!”
It’s important to note that this situation is not without precedent. In 1973, during President Richard Nixon’s second inauguration, flags were flown at half-staff following the death of former President Harry S. Truman. While the U.S. Flag Code prescribes a 30-day half-staff period after the death of a president, it serves as a guideline rather than a strict requirement. On Monday, Governor Greg Abbott issued an order for all flags at the Texas Capitol and across state buildings to be flown at full-staff on January 20, Inauguration Day. Federal law also mandates that the U.S. flag be prominently displayed on this important day.
