Several Republican governors across the U.S. are ordering state flags, which are currently being flown at half-staff following President Jimmy Carter’s death, to be raised to acknowledge President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20.
Eight states, including Iowa, Texas, Florida, Tennessee, Oklahoma, North Dakota, Nebraska and Alabama, ordered flags at full-staff during Trump’s inauguration. In addition to the state buildings, the U.S. Capitol will have its flags at full-staff during the inauguration, House Speaker Mike Johnson announced on Tuesday.
Here in Wisconsin, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has not ordered flags in the state to be moved from half-staff on Inauguration Day.
“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 said in a statement. “The flags will be lowered back to half-staff the following day to continue honoring President Jimmy Carter.”
President Joe Biden ordered flags lowered to half-staff for 30 days from the day of Carter’s death on Dec. 29, as is custom when a U.S. president dies. While the U.S. flag code dictates remain lowered, the code isn’t mandatory.
Here is what Trump and other politicians have said about flags on Jan. 20.
A U.S. flag flutters at sunrise in front of the U.S. Capitol ahead of the presidential inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, in Washington, U.S., January 12, 2025.
Trump: ‘Nobody wants to see this’
Trump stirred conversations about flags potentially being at half staff during his inauguration when he shared a post on Truth Social accusing the Democrats of being “giddy” that the country’s “magnificent American Flag” could be at “half mast” come Jan. 20.
“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,” the president-elect said on social media.
The American flag would “for the first time ever during an Inauguration of a future President, be at half mast,” said Trump. “Nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it. Let’s see how it plays out.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott: ‘We must also celebrate the service of an incoming President’
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott was one of the first governors to order that flags be raised to full-staff on Inauguration Day, with him claiming that his decision follows a federal statute stating that the U.S. flag to be displayed “especially on … Inauguration Day, January 20.”
“While we honor the service of a former President, we must also celebrate the service of an incoming President and the bright future ahead for the United States of America,” Abbott said in a news release on Monday.
Other governors followed suit, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds all ordering that flags be raised for the incoming president. Flags in Oklahoma have already been raised for about a week as Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt only ordered flags on state property to remain at half-staff until Jan. 9, the day of Carter’s state funeral.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott speaks to attendees during the New York Republican State Committee Annual Gala in New York, U.S., April 4, 2024.
“Inauguration day is an important tradition of our Republic where Americans come together to celebrate the peaceful transition of power between presidents,” DeSantis said in a memo he posted on X. “It represents a season of new hope and limitless potential for America’s future.
“The official installation of a President is a historic day in the calendar of our nation and should be recognized as such,” Pillen said in a news release. “Having the flag at full staff symbolizes the respect to that office and our nation’s newly elected leader.”
Has this ever happened before?
Then-President Richard Nixon decided to raise the flags in February 1973, which had been lowered following the death of President Lyndon Johson, before the 30-day mark to honor the first American prisoners of war released from Vietnam. The celebration lasted a day before the flags were returned to half-staff for the rest of the mourning period.
Alabama, Iowa, North Dakota, Nebraska, and Florida have confirmed that their flags will be lowered after Trump’s inauguration, according to their governors. The governor of Texas has yet to confirm if the state will observe Carter’s mourning period following the inauguration.
Contributing: Brandi D. Addison, Joey Garrison & C. A. Bridges/ USA TODAY, Marty Roney/ Montgomery Advertiser, Dale Denwalt/ The Oklahoman and Kate Kealey/ Des Moines Register
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Has Wisconsin ordered flags to be raised for Trump’s inauguration?