House Speaker Mike Johnson has ordered that flags at the U.S. Capitol be raised to their full height on Inauguration Day, ending a 30-day flag-lowering order that was in place following the passing of former President Jimmy Carter. This decision means that President-elect Donald Trump will not be inaugurated under a half-staff flag, a situation he had previously expressed dissatisfaction with.
Several Republican governors, including Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, have also announced that flags in their states will be raised on Inauguration Day to mark Trump's second term. They have indicated that the flags will be lowered again on Jan. 21 in honor of Carter.
The 30-day flag-lowering period, initiated by President Joe Biden's order, applies to flags at federal government buildings, U.S. embassies, military installations, and vessels, and is set to continue until Jan. 28, encompassing Trump's inauguration and first week in office. Governors across the country have followed suit by issuing their own orders regarding flag display in their respective states.
Trump has expressed displeasure at the prospect of flags being lowered on Inauguration Day, suggesting that he may reverse Biden's decision once he assumes office on Jan. 20. He has taken action to keep flags at his Florida residence flying at full height, despite a similar order from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
As of now, DeSantis has not made any changes to the flag order in Florida. The U.S. flag code outlines guidelines for lowering the flag to half-staff, including a 30-day period for honoring current or former presidents at federal government buildings, U.S. embassies, and military installations.
