Gov. Gavin Newsom raises California flags to full height at Trump's inauguration
Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom will temporarily raise the American flag at the state Capitol to full height on Inauguration Day next week, joining a number of GOP governors and Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson in the decision.
Newsom's press office confirmed the decision to Fox News Digital on Wednesday night.
Following tradition, flags at the US Capitol and state buildings across the country flew at half-staff following the death of former President Jimmy Carter on Dec. 29, 2024.
Flags temporarily raised to full height will return to half-staff on Jan. 21 in the remaining period of 30 days of mourning, which ends on Jan. 28 – eight days after President-elect Donald Trump was sworn into office.
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As of Thursday morning, Newsom is the only Democratic governor to issue the order, which comes as Southern California is ravaged by catastrophic wildfires.
Similar decisions were recently made by Gov. Idaho Brad Little, North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott – all Republicans.
House Speaker Johnson also ordered flags at the US Capitol to fly at full staff for Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20.
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Trump has criticized the possibility of flags being flown among staff when he is inaugurated following Carter's death.
“Democrats are 'full of bitterness' about our beautiful American flag possibly being 'half-staffed' at my inauguration,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Jan. 3. “They think it's great, and they're happy about it because, really, they don't love our Country, they only care about themselves.”
“Look what they've done to our once GREAT America in the last four years – It's a complete mess! In any case, because of the death of President Jimmy Carter, the Flag may, for the first time during the inauguration of a future President, be at an end,” he continued. “Nobody wants to see this, and nobody an American would be happy about it. Let's see how it plays out. DO AMERICA AGAIN!”
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The flags were flown among the 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.
Fox News Digital's Landon Mion contributed to this report.
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