When are flags allowed to be ordered at half-staff? What the law says
If you were driving around last week and noticed flags lowered to half-staff, it was in honor of head of the Catholic Church Pope Francis, who died April 21 at the age of 88 from a stroke.
People may think U.S. flags only get lowered in honor of U.S. citizens. However, the pope was from Argentina and passed away in Vatican City.
President Donald Trump ordered the flags to be lowered for Pope Francis’ passing as a “mark of respect,” according to the White House proclamation.
When can a flag be lowered to half-staff?
When are flags flown at half-staff?
American flags are lowered on the day of and the day after the death of a United States senator, representative, territorial delegate or the resident commissioner from the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico at all federal buildings, facilities, grounds and naval vessels in the Washington, D.C. area and in the state, congressional district, territory or commonwealth where the official is from, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
They are also always lowered from sunset until noon on Memorial Day, per federal law.
According to the Texas government code, Texas flags should be flown at half-staff for the same time on Memorial Day, Peace Officers Memorial Day (May 15) and for the death of a person.
In the case of Pope Francis, “the president may order the flag to be flown at half-staff to mark the death of other officials, former officials, or foreign dignitaries,” according to the VA. “In addition to these occasions, the president may order half-staff display of the flag after other tragic events.”
American flags were also lowered for the deaths of Queen Elizabeth in 2022, Pope John Paul II in 2005, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in 1965 and Mother Teresa in 1997.