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Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson, a Democrat, ordered flags to be flown at full staff on Monday for the president-elect. donald trump opening.
“I hereby direct that the flags of the state of Washington and the United States at all state agency facilities be flown at full staff on Monday, January 20, 2025, in honor of Inauguration Day,” Ferguson said.
This, despite President Biden’s official order after the death of former president Jimmy Carter on December 29 that flags on all government and public buildings and grounds across the country will fly at half-mast during a 30-day mourning period, which coincidentally includes Inauguration Day.
It is tradition when a former president dies to order a 30-day mourning period and order flags at half-mast.
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 warships of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the 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.
“Flags must return to half-staff at sunrise on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, and must remain at half-staff until close of business or sunset on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, to continue honoring former President Jimmy Carter for 30 days after his death,” Ferguson said.
Former President Jimmy Carter. (Photo via Emma Woodhead/Fox Digital)
Ferguson joins California Governor Gavin Newsom and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis as Democrats who broke tradition and ordered flags to be raised for Trump’s inauguration before the mourning period ends on Jan. 28.
They follow the orders of Democratic governors several republicans who have ordered 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, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, and Texas Governor. .Greg Abbott.
House Speaker Mike Johnson also ordered flags at the U.S. Capitol to fly at full staff on Inauguration Day.
Trump has criticized the possibility of flags being displayed at half-mast during his inauguration following Carter’s death.
Former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, arrives at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Evan Vucci/AP)
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“Democrats are all ‘dizzy’ over the possibility of our magnificent American flag being at ‘half-mast’ during my inauguration,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on January 3. “They think it’s great and they’re very happy about it because they don’t really love our country, they just think about themselves.”
“Look what they’ve done to our once GREAT America in the last four years – it’s a total disaster! In any case, due to the death of President Jimmy Carter, the flag can, for the first time in history, during an inauguration of a future President, be at half-mast,” he continued. “No one wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it. Let’s see how it plays out. LET’S MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Flags flew 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.
