President-elect Donald Trump has expressed frustration that flags will fly at half-mast when he takes workplace later this month.
It is an motion carried out by President Joe Biden to honor the late President Jimmy Carter, who died on Sunday on the age of 100. It’s not a timeline that Trump can do something about, till he takes workplace.
Here’s what to find out about why flags are lowered when a president dies, who can problem such an order, and the way lengthy the method takes:
Why are US flags flown at half-staff?
On Sunday, Biden ordered U.S. flags to be flown at half-mast in honor of the late former president. It is an honor that signifies that the nation or a state is in mourning.
The U.S. Flag Code establishes parameters for reducing the American flag to half-staff, together with a 30-day interval for present or former presidents to fly flags at federal authorities buildings and on their grounds, in addition to at U.S. embassies and at different amenities overseas, together with naval installations and ships.
Flags could also be lowered to commemorate the deaths of different officers, together with the vice chairman, Supreme Court justices and members of Congress, though these durations should not as lengthy.
Flags may also be ordered lowered in different circumstances, together with a nationwide tragedy or Memorial Day.
Because the U.S. flag code states that no flag must be flown greater than the American flag on the identical or close by pole, state flags are additionally lowered throughout these instances.
How lengthy will the flags be lowered?
According to Biden’s proclamation, American flags will stay lowered for 30 days following Carter’s dying, till January 28.
With the inauguration on January 20, meaning flags will likely be at half-mast when Trump takes workplace and for the primary week of his administration.
Who decides when to decrease the flags?
According to the U.S. General Services Administration, the president, a governor and the mayor of the District of Columbia can order U.S. flags to be flown at half-staff.
What did Trump say about reducing the flags?
On Friday, Trump posted on social media that “Democrats are all ‘dazed'” that flags will likely be lowered when he takes workplace as president.
“No one needs to see this,” Trump wrote. He added that “no American may be pleased about it. Let’s see the way it ends. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Asked about Trump’s submit at Friday’s briefing, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre stated Biden wouldn’t think about reversing or reevaluating the half-staff plans.
Can Trump determine to lift the flags?
YES. The U.S. flag code requires flags to stay lowered for a interval of 30 days following the dying of a former president. But that code is not necessary, so as soon as he turns into president, Trump may technically ignore it.
That’s what occurred in 1973, when then-President Richard Nixon selected to lift the flags – which he had ordered lowered as an indication of mourning after the dying of former President Lyndon Johnson – earlier than the 30-day deadline to honor the primary American prisoners of struggle launched from Vietnam. Flags have been at half-mast when Nixon was sworn in for his second time period across the identical time.
The pause lasted solely sooner or later and thereafter the flags returned to half-mast for eight days.
Has Trump already contested the reducing of the flags?
YES. After the dying of Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain — with whom Trump had a fractious relationship — in 2018, the Stars and Stripes have been briefly lowered to half-staff over the weekend, however returned to full top the next Monday, whereas flags on the U.S. Capitol and elsewhere remained at half-staff.
The flag was lowered to half-mast once more after complaints from members of each the Republican and Democratic events. Former presidents spoke at McCain’s funeral, however the senator’s household made clear they didn’t need Trump to attend.
Kinnard reported from Chapin, South Carolina.
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