Youngkin orders flags to be raised for Trump’s inauguration amid period of mourning over Jimmy Carter’s death
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, has ordered flags temporarily flown at full staff for the president-elect Donald Trump inauguration on Monday.
“I hereby order the flags of the United States of America and the Commonwealth of Virginia to be flown at full-mast on all state and local buildings and grounds in the Commonwealth in recognition of the inauguration of the 47th President of the United States,” Youngkin said Saturday.
Youngkin’s directive comes despite President Biden’s order after the death of former President Jimmy Carter Dec. 29 that flags on all government and public buildings and grounds across the country should be flown at half-staff during the 30-day mourning period, which coincidentally includes Inauguration Day.
It is tradition when a former president dies to order 30 days of mourning and order flags to be flown at half-staff.
WASHINGTON GOVERNOR ORDERS FLAGS AT TRUMP’S INAUGURATION DESPITE MOURNING FOR JIMMY CARTER
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin speaks as President-elect Donald Trump listens during a campaign rally at the Salem Civic Center on November 2, 2024 in Salem, Virginia. (Getty Images)
Biden said the American flag “should be flown at half-mast in the White House and on all public buildings and grounds, on all military and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the entire United States and its territories and possessions.”
Flags in Virginia will return to half-staff in honor of Carter on Tuesday after the presidential inauguration, Youngkin said.
“Flags will be flown at half-staff the following day to continue honoring former President James Earl Carter Jr. and will remain at half-staff until January 28, 2025,” the governor wrote.
Youngkin joins a handful of Republican governors who have also broken with tradition and ordered flags to be flown on Monday, including Idaho Gov. Brad Little, North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and Texas Governor Greg Abbott.
Former President Jimmy Carter. (Photo via Emma Woodhead/Fox Digital)
A trio of Democratic governors – California Governor Gavin NewsomColorado Gov. Jared Polis and Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson — also ordered flags to be flown at full staff for Trump’s inauguration before the mourning period ends on Jan. 28.
House Speaker Mike Johnson also ordered flags on the US Capitol to be flown at full staff on Inauguration Day.
Trump criticized the idea of flying flags at half-staff for his inauguration after Carter’s death.
“Democrats are all ‘giddy’ over the prospect of our magnificent American flag being ‘half-staffed’ during my inauguration,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Jan. 3. “They think it’s so great, and they’re so happy about it because, They don’t really love our country, they only care about themselves.”
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin speaks during the Faith & Freedom Road to Majority Coalition policy conference at the Washington Hilton on June 22, 2024 in Washington, DC (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)
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“Look at what they’ve done to our once GREAT America in the past four years – It’s a total mess! Anyway, because of the death of President Jimmy Carter, the flag can, for the first time ever, be at half-mast during the inauguration of a future president,” he continued. . “No one wants to see this and no American can be happy about it. Let’s see how it plays out. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Flags were flown at half-staff when former President Nixon was sworn in for his second term in 1973 after Nixon ordered the flags to be lowered following the death of former President Truman.
