(AFP) – Donald Trump said Friday “no American can be happy” that flags will be at half-mast when he is inaugurated this month, claiming Democrats were delighted about the downbeat optics. President Joe Biden ordered US flags lowered for a customary 30 days on federal buildings and grounds in honor of late president Jimmy Carter, who died Sunday at age 100 and will be buried in a state funeral next week.
For Trump, that means a jarring image of a nation in mourning on January 20 as he stands on the steps of the Capitol to take the oath of office, before returning to the White House in a remarkable comeback after his tumultuous first term. The Republican took to his Truth Social platform to post an angry comment about the situation.
“Nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it,” Trump wrote. He delivered an unsubstantiated accusation that Democrats “are all ‘giddy’ about our magnificent American Flag potentially being at ‘half mast’ during my Inauguration.”
“They don’t love our Country, they only think about themselves,” Trump wrote, again without naming his targets. Trump appeared to hint at the possibility of flags being ordered back up for his big day, saying the half-mast “may” happen and ending with, “let’s see how it plays out.”
But the White House put an end to any speculation. Asked whether Biden’s flags order could be reversed or reconsidered, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said: “No.”
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