Johnson Orders Capitol Flags Raised for Trump's Inauguration, Pausing 30-Day Mourning for Carter

Jan 14, 2025, 04:41 PM

House Speaker Mike Johnson has ordered that the U.S. flags at the Capitol be raised to full height on January 20 for the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, pausing a 30-day flag-lowering period following the death of former President Jimmy Carter. This decision defies a White House proclamation by President Joe Biden, who had ordered flags to be flown at half-staff until January 28 to honor Carter. Trump had previously expressed frustration about the possibility of flags being at half-staff during his inauguration. The move by Johnson mirrors actions taken by some Republican governors, including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, who have also announced that flags in their states will be raised on Inauguration Day before being lowered again to honor Carter.