House Speaker Mike Johnson says U. S. Capitol flags will fly full-staff for Trump inauguration
All Texas flags must be raised to full-staff for President-Elect Donald Trump’s Inauguration Day, Gov. Greg Abbott announced Monday, Jan. 13.
House Speaker Mike Johnson announced Tuesday, Jan. 14 that all flags at the U.S. Capitol will also fly full-staff.
Following former President Jimmy Carter’s death on Dec. 29, President Joe Biden ordered flags to be lowered across the nation. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, flags must remain at half-staff for 30 days when a president dies.
Conversely, flags are normally full-staff for Inauguration Day. This day falls on Jan. 20 every four years (or Jan. 21 if Jan. 20 falls on a Sunday).
Trump was unhappy to hear the possibility of flying flags half-staff at inauguration.
“Nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it. Let’s see how it plays out. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Trump wrote Jan. 3 on Truth Social.
Federal plans changed when Johnson made an announcement on Jan. 14.
“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. The flags will be lowered back to half-staff the following day to continue honoring President Jimmy Carter,” Johnson wrote in a news release.
After inauguration, federal flags will return to half-staff on Jan. 21 and remain until Jan. 28.
Flags have been at half-staff for an inauguration before, when former President Richard Nixon was sworn in for his second term in 1973 and flags were lowered following the death of former President Harry Truman.
With all the different flag guidelines, Inauguration Day flag status has become confusing. So what should you do with your flag on Jan. 20?
Gov. Abbott’s flag status order
A state governor has full authority to declare flag status orders.
When a governor mandates flags to be lowered to half-staff, only public or government owned buildings must follow the code. The same goes for a federal order: Only U.S.-owned public or government buildings need to lower the flag.
The full news release from Abbott’s office on Jan. 13 states:
“Governor Greg Abbott today ordered all flags to be raised to full-staff at the Texas Capitol and all state buildings on January 20, 2025, in honor of Inauguration Day.
“Pursuant to federal statute, the U.S. flag should be displayed ‘especially on...Inauguration Day, January 20.
“Texas continues to mourn with our fellow Americans across the country over the passing of former President Jimmy Carter. President Carter’s steadfast leadership left a lasting legacy that will be felt for generations to come, which together as a nation we honor by displaying flags at half-staff for 30 days. On January 20, our great nation will celebrate our democratic tradition of transferring power to a new President by inaugurating the 47th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump. As we unite our country and usher in this new era of leadership, I ordered all flags to be raised to full-staff at the Texas Capitol and all state buildings for the inauguration of President Trump. While we honor the service of a former President, we must also celebrate the service of an incoming President and the bright future ahead for the United States of America.”
Do residential properties have to follow flag status orders?
There are no mentions of privately-owned property having to follow federally or state-enforced flag status mandates. So on Jan. 20, you can choose to fly your flag at whatever height you would like, as long as it’s on your private property.
There are no criminal or civil punishments for failing to follow the U.S. Flag Code.
This story was originally published January 13, 2025 at 3:06 PM.