why are the flags at half mast on the day of the ceremony controversial?

UNITED STATES – How high will flags fly across the United States for Donald Trump's inauguration on Monday January 20? The question may seem anecdotal, but it has sparked controversy across the Atlantic for a week, in the run-up to the swearing-in ceremony after which the Republican will officially succeed Joe Biden and his Republican rival.

After the death of former President Jimmy Carter on December 29, Joe Biden requested, as is customary in the United States, that flags flying on federal buildings be flown at half-mast for 30 days. At the Capitol as in the 50 states, they are therefore supposed to remain at half mast until the beginning of February.

Enough to make Donald Trump scream, who cried conspiracy on his social network Truth Social. The Democrats “are happy with this situation because they don’t like our country”he snapped, moved that the flag was “at half mast during the inauguration of a new president for the first time in history”. A false statement, recalls New York Times : Richard Nixon was sworn in in 1973 in front of flags lowered to half-mast after the death of President Harry Truman.

Donald Trump's fake news did not prevent Mike Johnson, the Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives, from following suit. He announced on Tuesday January 14 that the Congress flags will be raised to the top of their masts during the inauguration ceremony, then “will be returned to half-mast the next day to continue to honor President Jimmy Carter”.

Will go up? Won't go up?

The pressure from Donald Trump and the decision of the “speaker” of the House of Representatives have pushed many Republican governors across the country to announce that the flags will be raised high during the ceremony. “While paying tribute to a former head of state, we must also celebrate the arrival of a new president and the bright future that lies ahead for the United States”estimated Greg Abbott, Trumpist governor of Texas.

But in reality, nothing obliges the authorities of the different states to apply Joe Biden's decree requesting half-masting. This is a custom, which has not prevented the issue from becoming a subject of controversy. The American magazine Newsweek even launched a map (not very up to date) to distinguish the States which will practice “full-staff” (hoisted high) or “half-staff” (at half-mast).

According to information currently reported by the American media, at least 13 Republican governors have indicated that they will raise their flag high on January 20 despite Joe Biden's decree. In Oklahoma, they have already been at half-mast for more than a week by decision of Governor Kevin Stitt.

Few Democratic governors have communicated on the thorny issue of flags. In Wisconsin, Governor Tony Evers confirmed that they will remain at half-mast, reports the local daily Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. On the other hand, they will be raised high in California, the Democratic bastion par excellence, the office of Governor Gavin Newsom informed the media The Hill. Taken to task on several occasions by Trump after the deadly fires in Los Angeles, the latter cannot however be suspected of connections with the Republican.

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