House Speaker Mike Johnson has issued a directive for the flags at the U.S. Capitol to be raised to full height on January 20 in observance of the upcoming inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump. This decision stands in contrast to a proclamation made by President Joe Biden last month, which called for flags nationwide to be flown at half-mast for a period of 30 days in memory of the late former President Jimmy Carter, who passed away on December 29, 2024.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Johnson articulated, “On January 20th, the flags at the Capitol will fly at full-staff to commemorate our nation uniting behind the inauguration of our 47th President, Donald Trump. The flags will then be lowered to half-staff the following day to continue paying tribute to President Jimmy Carter.”
President Biden’s directive to lower flags to half-staff impacted federal government buildings and U.S. embassies globally. Originally scheduled to be in effect until January 28, this order will be suspended at the Capitol on Inauguration Day, a decision likely welcomed by the incoming president.
President Trump, in anticipation of taking his second oath of office, had expressed dissatisfaction with the notion of flags being at half-mast. Via his Truth Social platform earlier this month, he remarked, “Due to the passing of President Jimmy Carter, 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. Let’s see how it plays out.”
The move by Speaker Johnson to maintain full-height flag display aligns with similar actions undertaken by other Republican leaders. Governors Kay Ivey of Alabama and Greg Abbott of Texas have also issued orders for flags in their respective states to be flown at full height on Inauguration Day.
It’s worth noting that the decision regarding flag display protocols has drawn attention and sparked discussions among political circles, underscoring the symbolic significance of such gestures in the context of transitions of power and the remembrance of national figures.
