The U.S. flags at President-elect Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort have been raised to full staff before the official mourning period for former President Jimmy Carter concluded.
Flags were ordered to remain at half-staff through January 28 to honor Carter, who passed away on December 29. While the primary flag at Mar-a-Lago was initially lowered in line with the directive, it was raised prematurely, just days after Carter was laid to rest in his hometown of Plains, Georgia.
Under the U.S. Flag Code, flags are to be flown at half-staff for 30 days to honor current or former presidents. This regulation applies to federal buildings, U.S. embassies, military installations, and vessels domestically and abroad.
The U.S. General Services Administration stipulates that authority to order flags to half-staff lies with the president, state governors, and the mayor of Washington, D.C. Flags may also be lowered for other officials, such as vice presidents, Supreme Court justices, or members of Congress, though the duration of such tributes is typically shorter.
Both President Joe Biden and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ordered U.S. flags to remain at half-staff for 30 days following Carter’s death, extending the tribute through January 28.
Trump Criticizes Flag-Lowering Protocol
Trump expressed frustration about flags remaining at half-staff on January 20, the day he is set to take the oath of office for his second term. While he had often criticized Carter during his campaigns, Trump offered praise for the late 39th president in a statement following his death at age 100.
Trump paid his respects at Carter’s casket during its time in the Capitol Rotunda and attended the state funeral in Washington. However, he took to Truth Social on January 3 to claim, “Democrats are all ‘giddy’ over flags being lowered when I assume the presidency.”
“In any event, because of President Jimmy Carter’s passing, the flag may, for the first time ever, be at half-mast during an inauguration. Nobody wants this, and no American can be happy about it. Let’s see how it plays out. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
When asked about Trump’s remarks, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed that Biden would not reconsider the decision to maintain the flag directive. Trump’s inauguration will take place on January 20 at the U.S. Capitol, which is among the locations adhering to Biden’s flag mandate.
Comments
Post a Comment