Hochul orders flags to full staff for Trump inauguration
Jan 20, 2025
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) has ordered all flags in New York state to be risen from half-staff to full staff on Monday for President Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Flags across the country are currently raised to half-staff to honor the late President Jimmy Carter, who passed away in his Plains, Georgia home at the age of 100 on Dec. 29.
Under federal flag code, when a former president dies all flags should be flown at half-staff for 30 days out of the respect for the deceased.
Former President Biden issued a proclamation ordering U.S. flags to be displayed at half-staff as an “expression of public sorrow” at the White House, public buildings, military posts, naval stations and vessels in throughout the country and its territories for 30 days.
“Tomorrow, we are all Americans as we observe the centuries-old traditions of Inauguration Day,” Hochul told the New York Post, which first reported the news Sunday.
“Regardless of your political views, the American tradition of the peaceful transition of power is something to celebrate,” she added.
Hochul's office has yet to respond to a request for comment from The Hill.
Flags in New York state will return to half-staff on Tuesday, Jan. 21, according to the statement.
Hochul is not the only governor choosing to ignore Biden’s order on Inauguration Day. Governors in Texas, Florida, Tennessee, Iowa, Nebraska, Idaho, Alabama, North Dakota, California, Colorado and Kentucky are also temporarily raising flags to full staff in honor of Inauguration Day.
Last week, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) ordered flags in the U.S. Capitol to be raised to full staff for the inauguration and then lowered the following day.
“The flags at the Capitol will fly at full staff to celebrate our country coming together behind the inauguration of our 47th President, Donald Trump.,” Johnson said in a statement released Jan. 14. “The flags will be lowered back to half-staff the following day to continue honoring President Jimmy Carter.”
Earlier this month, Trump accused Democratic lawmakers of being “giddy” at the idea of flags being at half mast during his inauguration.
“They think it’s so great, and are so happy about it because, in actuality, they don’t love our Country, they only think about themselves,” he wrote in a post on the social media platform Truth Social.