Washington Governor Bob Ferguson, a Democrat, on Monday ordered flags flown for the president-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.
“I hereby direct that the flags of the State of Washington and the United States at all state agency facilities will be fully staffed on Monday, January 20, 2025, in observance of Inauguration Day,” Ferguson said.
This is despite President Biden’s official order after the death of former President Jimmy Carter on December 29, flags at all government and public buildings and grounds across the country will fly at half-staff for a 30-day mourning period, which happens to include Inauguration Day.
It is a tradition that when a former president dies, he institutes a thirty-day mourning period and orders flags at half-staff.
GOV. NEWSOM JOINS A HANDFUL OF GOP GOVERNORS RAISING FLAGS TO FULL HEIGHT FOR TRUMP’S INAUGURATION
Newly elected Governor Bob Ferguson delivers his victory speech at the Washington State Democrats Election Night Watch Party at the Seattle Convention Center on November 5, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. (Getty Images)
Biden said the American flag should be “displayed at half-staff at the White House and on all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all federal government naval vessels in the District of Columbia and around the world.” United States and its territories and possessions.”
Flags will return to half-staff in Washington state on Tuesday to continue the period of mourning for Carter.
“The flags are to return to half-staff at sunrise on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, and remain at half-staff until close of business or sunset on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, in a continuation of the tribute to former President Jimmy Carter for 30 days. days after his death,” Ferguson said.
Former President Jimmy Carter. (Photo via Emma Woodhead/Fox Digital)
Ferguson agrees California Governor Gavin Newsom and Colorado Governor Jared Polis as the Democrats who broke tradition and ordered flags to be raised for Trump’s inauguration before the mourning period ends on January 28.
Follow the orders of the Democratic governors several Republicans who ordered the flags raised on Monday, including Idaho Governor Brad Little, North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, Tennessee Governor, Bill Lee, Governor of Iowa, Kim Reynolds and Governor of Texas. . Greg Abbott.
House Speaker Mike Johnson also ordered flags to be flown at the Capitol with full staff on Inauguration Day.
Trump has criticized the possibility of flags being displayed at half-staff for his inauguration following Carter’s death.
Republican presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump, arrives at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center on Wednesday, November 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Evan Vucci/AP)
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“The Democrats are all ‘giddy’ about our beautiful American flag potentially flying at half-mast during my inauguration,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on January 3. “They love it so much and are so happy about it because: in reality they don’t love our country, they only think about themselves.”
“Look what they’ve done to our once GREAT America over the past four years – it’s a total mess! In any case, due to the death of President Jimmy Carter, the flag may be at half-mast for the first time ever during an 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 turns 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 lowered following the death of former President Truman.
