Abbott orders full-staff flags for Trump’s inauguration despite month-long order to honor Carter
Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced on Monday that the flags at the state Capitol building in Austin and all state office buildings will be raised to full staff next Monday, January 20, to mark the inauguration of President-elect Trump.
The move comes despite an official order President Biden following the death of former President Jimmy Carter on December 29 that flags across the country will be flown at half-staff during a 30-day mourning period.
Abbott said in his announcement that “on January 20, our great nation will celebrate our democratic tradition of handing over power to a new president with the inauguration of the 47th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump. As we unite our country and usher in this new era of leadership, I have directed that all flags will be raised to full staff at the Texas Capitol and all state buildings for the inauguration of President Trump.”
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and former President Trump attend a briefing with state officials and law enforcement ahead of a tour of the U.S.-Mexico border wall on June 30, 2021, in Weslaco, Texas. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via AP, Pool)
“While we honor the service of the former president, we must also celebrate the service of the next president and the bright future that lies ahead for the United States of America,” added the three-term conservative Texas governor.
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Abbott’s adviser told Fox News that flags on texas capitol and in government offices will continue to fly with half staff on January 21.
Former President Jimmy Carter’s flag-draped casket is carried into the National Cathedral for a funeral service Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Washington, DC (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
“Texas continues to grieve with our fellow Americans across the country for the loss former President Jimmy Carter“, Abbott said in his statement. “President Carter’s steadfast leadership has left a lasting legacy that will be felt by generations to come, and which we honor together as a nation by flying our flags at half-staff for 30 days.”
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According to the US Flag Code, US flags are flown at half-staff for a period of 30 days to mark the departure of a current or former president, on federal government buildings, military installations and vessels, and on US embassies and other facilities around the world .
Flags fly at half-staff in honor of former President Jimmy Carter at Union Station in Washington, DC, Monday, January 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Since US flag law dictates that no flag may be flown higher than the American flag on the same or nearby poles, national flags are also lowered during such periods of mourning.
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Trump earlier this month claimed on social media that “all the Democrats are ‘giddy'” over flags flying at half-staff during his inauguration.
“Nobody wants to see this,” Trump asserted. “No American can be happy about that. Let’s see how it plays out. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
It is optional on the US flag, meaning Trump could technically override it once he is inaugurated as president.
