Speaker Johnson orders Capitol flags raised for Trump’s inauguration despite Jimmy Carter mourning period

Many Republican governors have already said flags would be raised for Donald Trump’s inauguration, despite it happening during a period of mourning for Jimmy Carter

House Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday ordered that flags at the U.S. Capitol be raised to their full height on Inauguration Day, pausing a 30-day flag-lowering order following the death of former President Jimmy Carter.

The Republican leader's decision means that President-elect Donald Trump will not take the oath of office for his second term under a half-staff flag, a prospect that he had previously complained about.

It mirrors actions taken in recent days by some Republican governors who have announced that flags in their states would be raised on Inauguration Day to mark Trump's second term.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee did so on Tuesday, noting in social media posts that U.S. flags across their states would be relowered on Jan. 21 in honor of Carter. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a similar notice on Monday.

The 30-day flag-lowering period, set into motion with President Joe Biden's order, affects flags at federal government buildings and their grounds, as well as at U.S. embassies and other facilities abroad, including military installations and vessels. It runs through Jan. 28, which encompasses Trump's inauguration and first week in office. In line with Biden's order, governors throughout the country issued their own orders to govern flags in their respective states.

The U.S. flag is shown at the Mar-a-Lago compound in Palm Beach, Fla., while a U.S. Coast Guard boat patrols around the vicinity, Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. U.S. flags at President-elect Donald Trump's private Mar-a-Lago club are back to flying at full height. Flags are supposed to fly at half-staff through the end of January out of respect for former President Jimmy Carter, who died Dec. 29 (AP)

The incoming president has expressed consternation that flags would still be lowered when he takes the oath, and it's possible that he could order the overall reversal of Biden's decision once he's installed as president on Jan. 20.

"Democrats are all 'giddy'" about the notion that flags will be lowered on Inauguration Day, Trump wrote Jan. 3 on social media.

"Nobody wants to see this," Trump wrote. He added that "no American can be happy about it. Let's see how it plays out. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"

Trump has already taken action over the flags that he can control: at his home in Florida. In the days following Carter's burial, a large U.S. flag at Trump's private Mar-a-Lago club was observed flying at its full height, despite an order from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis that mirrors Biden's.

As of Tuesday, DeSantis had not made alterations to the flag order in his own state.

The U.S. flag code lays out parameters for lowering the U.S. flag to half-staff, including a 30-day period for current or former presidents to cover flags at federal government buildings and their grounds, as well as at U.S. embassies and other facilities abroad, including military installations and vessels.