Trump Criticizes US Flag Display at Inauguration Ceremony

Former President Donald Trump expresses dissatisfaction over the arrangement of US flags at the recent inauguration, sparking debates over patriotic symbolism.

US President-elect Donald Trump has voiced his opposition to the decision to fly American flags at half-mast on January 20, the day of his inauguration. This directive was issued by President Joe Biden as a tribute to former President Jimmy Carter, who died on December 29 at the age of 100.

According to the US flag code, flags should be flown at half-mast for 30 days after a current or former president passes away—in this instance, until January 28.

In a statement issued on Friday, Trump claimed that Democrats are happy the flags will stay at half-mast during his inauguration, indicating it shows a lack of patriotism.

He claimed, “The Democrats are ‘giddy’ about the prospect of our magnificent American Flag being flown at ‘half mast’ during my inauguration. They feel it’s wonderful and it brings them joy because they don’t truly love our country; they’re only concerned with their own interests.”

Trump claimed it would be “the first time ever” that US flags are flown at half-mast during a presidential inauguration, asserting that “nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it.”

The flags were flown at half-mast when former President Richard Nixon was inaugurated for his second term in January 1973. This occurred after he ordered them to be lowered due to the passing of former President Harry S. Truman.

Throughout history, there have been occasions when the 30-day half-mast period was temporarily altered at the discretion of the sitting president. For example, in 1973, after former President Lyndon B. Johnson passed away, President Nixon ordered flags to be raised to full-mast for a day to honor American prisoners of war returning from Vietnam before lowering them again to resume the mourning period.

In the past, Trump has voiced his dissatisfaction with the tradition of lowering flags. In 2018, after Senator John McCain’s death, flags were initially raised to full-mast briefly before being lowered once more due to public pressure.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre addressed Trump’s comments, clarifying that the Biden administration has no plans to revisit the decision regarding keeping flags at half-mast during the inauguration.