FOCUS – “The Democrats are so happy because in reality, they don’t like our country,” blasted the president-elect of the United States. But what is he really talking about?
“Democrats are “excited” that our beautiful American flag could be flown at half-mast during my inauguration. They think it’s great and are so happy 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 last four years – it’s a complete waste!”stormed Donald Trump on January 3 on his social network Truth.
Truth Social screenshot
On January 20, the day the Republican president-elect officially returns to the White House, the United States flag will not actually fly on any federal buildings, grounds or warships. “No one wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it”he added in his publication. But why will the “Star-Spangled Banner” be at half-mast on January 20?
Proclamation 3044
Donald Trump cites the reason: the death, on December 29, of the 39th POTUS Jimmy Carter at the age of 100. The same day, outgoing Democratic President Joe Biden ordered that flags be flown at half-mast on public buildings for thirty days… That is to say until January 28.
This decision is not unusual. Since 1954, Proclamation 3044 issued by President Dwight Eisenhower has agreed that “the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff on all buildings, grounds, and vessels of war of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States, its territories, and its possessions for thirty days from of the day of death” for a president or former president. “The flag will also be flown at half-mast during this period at all United States embassies, legations, and other installations abroad, including all military installations and naval ships and stations.”specifies the statement.
This provision does not only apply to (former) occupants of the Oval Office. Concerning the vice president and the speaker of the House of Representatives, the half-masting period is ten days. For an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, a member of the Cabinet, a former Vice President, the Majority Leader of the Senate, the Minority Leader of the Senate, the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, or the Leader of the minority of the House of Representatives, the period extends “from the day of death to burial”.
The Nixon-Truman precedent
Could Donald Trump’s anger shake up habits and customs? «Non»Joe Biden’s spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre responded last Friday. But as the Associated Press (AP) points out, the American Flag Code “is not mandatory, so once he becomes president, Donald Trump could technically waive it” – and therefore raise the flags before the end of the thirty days.
The Republican’s situation will not be unprecedented either: the flags were at half-mast when Richard Nixon was sworn in for his second term in January 1973 due to the death, at the end of December, of Harry Truman.
Only once in American history has a president raised a flag flown at half-mast for a deceased ex-president. In February 1973, Richard Nixon raised the flags – which he had ordered lowered after the death of former President Lyndon Johnson – before the end of 30 days to honor the first American prisoners of war released from Vietnam. “The interruption lasted only one day and the flags were flown at half-mast for eight days”specifies AP.
And cas McCain
This is not the first time that Donald Trump has opposed the half-masting of flags, NBC News finally points out. In 2018, after the death of Republican Senator from Arizona John McCain, with whom the ex-real estate mogul had conflicting relations, the “Stars and Stripes” of the White House were lowered to half-mast. . two days.
The decision sparked strong criticism from elected Democrats and Republicans. Faced with pressure, Donald Trump ordered the flag to be lowered to half-mast “until the day of burial” of the late senator.
