• US flags will be raised to full-staff for Donald Trump's inauguration, overriding President Biden's mourning directive for Jimmy Carter.
• House Speaker Mike Johnson confirmed that flags will return to half-staff the day after the inauguration to honor the late president.
• Several Republican governors have also ordered flags at their state buildings to fly at full-staff, defying the 30-day mourning period.
• Trump previously criticized the idea of flags at half-staff during his inauguration, claiming it is a political attack from Democrats.
• This situation reflects a significant shift in ceremonial practices surrounding presidential inaugurations.

In a remarkable political move, flags at the US Capitol will fly at full-staff on January 20 for Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration, effectively overruling President Joe Biden’s proclamation that mandated flags be lowered to half-staff for 30 days following the death of former President Jimmy Carter. House Speaker Mike Johnson announced this development, declaring, "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” ([IndiaTimes](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/us-capitol-flags-to-fly-at-full-staff-for-trump-inauguration/articleshow/117250904.cms)). Johnson further noted that flags would return to half-staff the day after the inauguration in continued tribute to Carter.

Carter, who passed away on December 29, 2024, at the age of 100, was remembered fondly by many, and Biden's directive was in accordance with historical precedent for time-limited mourning following the death of a president ([The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/15/trump-inauguration-flags-full-staff)). However, Trump expressed discontent over the potential protocol, suggesting Democrats were "giddy" about a somber inauguration. "They think it’s so great... they don’t love our Country, they only think about themselves," Trump said on his social media platform, Truth Social ([Time](https://time.com/7207144/trump-inauguration-day-flag-half-mast-full-republicans-order/)).

In addition to federal actions, at least eight Republican governors—include Kay Ivey of Alabama and Ron DeSantis of Florida—have announced plans to fly state flags at full-staff on Inauguration Day ([The Hill](https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/5086735-flags-ordered-to-fly-at-full-staff-on-inauguration-day-in-multiple-states/)). Despite Biden's 30-day mourning period, these governors assert their actions align with federal standards for honoring an inauguration. This defiance indicates a broader political landscape and differing opinions on how the country memorializes leaders.

The implications of these actions are significant, as they illuminate the ongoing divisions in American politics, particularly regarding how ceremonial practices are increasingly subject to political interpretation and loyalty. The last occasion where flags were flown at half-staff during an inauguration occurred in 1973 when Richard Nixon was sworn in following Harry Truman's death ([NPR](https://www.npr.org/2025/01/15/g-s1-42957/flags-to-be-raised-for-trumps-inauguration-despite-half-staff-order-for-carters-death)). This current stance marks a departure from such traditions and underscores the contentious climate in contemporary political rituals.

For more details, visit the original article links: The Guardian, IndiaTimes, Time, The Hill, and NPR.