Trump Won’t Let a President Dying Ruin His Inauguration Flag Fantasy
The president-elect has broken with tradition and will fly the American flag at full mast despite the mourning period for Jimmy Carter.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
President-elect Donald Trump will get his way at his inauguration ceremony, with the U.S. flag flying high before being lowered again to honor the late Jimmy Carter.
On Monday, the Daily Beast reported that flags at Mar-a-Lago had returned to full staff with two weeks remaining in Carter’s mourning period, after Trump shared his annoyance at the tradition of flying them at half-staff for 30 days after the death of a former U.S. president.
A flag flies at full height at Mar-a-Lago on Saturday evening.
Scott Olson/Getty Images
And now he appears to have taken that frustration to the next level by managing to get the U.S. flag flapping in the wind at full staff at his inauguration on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 20.
The decision was announced by House Speaker Mike Johnson. A press release by his office stated: “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. The flags will be lowered back to half-staff the following day to continue honoring President Jimmy Carter.”
But X commentators were split on whether the decision was a good move. “F---ing disrespectful, but anything to honor king Trump,” one person barbed sarcastically. Another person pointed out the potential irony of the move, saying: “Flags lowered in mourning after his inauguration. The optics are still there.”
Another wrote: “Bending the knee. Because...” with a mocked-up image of Trump in a diaper crying profusely. “So disgusting. The MAGAs have to brown nose their prince at every turn,” another added.
Flags will fly at full staff during Trump's inauguration and then will be lowered afterwards to honor Jimmy Carter, @SpeakerJohnson announced. pic.twitter.com/iAkdpnbxwj
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) January 14, 2025
However, others saw it as a common sense call. “Good. All 50 states should follow,” one person said in favor. “Reasonable compromise,” added another.
The move comes after Johnson held onto his speakership by a razor-thin margin, after a rocky period in which alternatives—including even including Elon Musk—were floated. In the end Trump endorsed Johnson and he survived the vote at the start of January.
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