Jan. 17—American flags at state buildings across Washington will be raised to full staff on Monday in recognition of the presidential inauguration, with flags to return to half-staff by sunrise Tuesday in continued remembrance of former President Jimmy Carter.
Gov. Bob Ferguson announced the decision Friday afternoon.
Following Carter’s death on Dec. 29, President Joe Biden ordered American flags at the White House and federal buildings across the country to be lowered to half-staff for 30 days, as is customary. The tradition became customary in the 20th century, according to the UC Santa Barbara Presidency Project, a nonpartisan website that tracks presidential history.
Following the directive, former Gov. Jay Inslee also ordered that U.S. and Washington state flags flown at state facilities be lowered for a 30-day remembrance period.
The directive expires at close of business or sunset for state facilities on Tuesday, Jan. 28. Flags flew at half-staff on the Capitol campus during Ferguson’s inauguration Wednesday.
Ahead of the presidential inauguration, several other governors have ordered that flags be temporarily raised. On Wednesday, a spokesperson for California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that flags in the state would be temporarily raised for the presidential inauguration.
Idaho Gov. Brad Little said Tuesday that flags would be raised to full mast from sunrise to sunset on Monday to recognize Trump’s inauguration, with flags to be lowered to half mast again the following day.
Washington will join at least 12 other states in temporarily raising flags at state facilities in recognition of the inauguration, including Indiana, South Carolina, Iowa, Texas, Florida, Tennessee, Oklahoma, North Dakota, Nebraska and Alabama.
On Friday, a spokesperson for Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek told the Salem Statesman Journal that flags in the state would remain lowered pursuant to the current presidential proclamation.
House Speaker Mike Johnson announced Tuesday that flags at the U.S. Capitol would be raised on Monday “to celebrate our country coming together behind the inauguration of our 47th President, Donald Trump.” In a post on X, Johnson said that flags would return to half-staff Tuesday in honor of Carter.
Ahead of his second inauguration, Trump has frequently voiced frustration over flags potentially being lowered during the ceremony. Earlier this month, Trump posted on Truth Social that “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,” Trump wrote. “Let’s see how it plays out.”