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Dark Cloud Looms Over Trump’s Inauguration

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They should make an exception for inauguration day.

In January, as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take the oath of office for his second term, the nation will also mark a moment of mourning for the passing of former President Jimmy Carter, the longest-living U.S. president, who died at the age of 100. Under the U.S. flag code, flags are to be flown at half-staff for 30 days following the death of a former president, which means the flags will remain lowered during Trump’s inauguration on January 20, 2025.

President Joe Biden has ordered U.S. flags to fly at half-staff starting on Sunday in honor of Carter, who passed away peacefully at his home in Plains, Georgia, surrounded by family. Carter had been in hospice care for nearly two years, and his death comes just over a year after the passing of his wife, Rosalynn, who died in November 2023 at the age of 96. Biden has also scheduled a state funeral for Carter in Washington, D.C., on January 9, 2024, and declared that day a National Day of Mourning.

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For many of Trump’s supporters, the sight of flags at half-staff during the inauguration may cast a somber tone over what is typically a day of celebration. While Trump has expressed respect for Carter’s legacy, noting in a post on Truth Social that Carter faced significant challenges during his presidency, there’s also been no shortage of pointed remarks from Trump in the past about Carter’s tenure in the White House. Back in October 2023, on Carter’s 100th birthday, Trump quipped that Carter “was the happiest man” because in comparison, Joe Biden’s presidency made Carter look “brilliant.”

Despite the 30-day mourning period required by law, Trump may have the authority to direct that flags be raised back to full-staff on Inauguration Day, as he takes office once again. Regardless of the flag’s position, however, January 20 will undoubtedly be a day marked by reflection on the life of Jimmy Carter, while also celebrating the beginning of a new chapter under Trump’s leadership.