There are certain circumstances where the flag, while being displayed officially for a period of mourning, is raised to full truck for a special occasion, and then lowered back to half-staff for the rest of the time of mourning. Let’s look at the history behind that.
There is precedent for raising the flag to full truck (the flat piece under the finial, also called “full staff”) during a presidential inauguration, even if it falls within the 30-day mourning period for a former president. The rationale behind this is to emphasize the continuity and celebration of democratic governance. The inauguration of a new President is considered a momentous occasion that symbolizes the peaceful transfer of power, an event of national importance that temporarily supersedes standard mourning observances.
The 1973 Inauguration – no Precedent Here
Following the death of President Harry S. Truman on December 26, 1972, and President Lyndon B. Johnson passed away on January 22, 1973, just two days before President Richard Nixon’s second inauguration. Flags were NOT raised to full staff during the inaugural events. After the inauguration ceremonies, flags returned to half-staff for the remainder of the designated mourning period. The photos below are from Virginia Military Institute (left) and nixonfoundation.org.


Independence Day 2004
President Ronald Reagan died on June 5, 2004, and on July 4, flags were raised to full truck and then lowered to half-staff for one more day.
The 2025 Inauguration
If you are reading this before January 20th, on January 14th, Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, announced that the flag atop the US Capitol will be at full truck for the second inauguration of President Donald Trump. But, it’s a federal building under the jurisdiction of the President.
Update. As of the evening of January 20, 2025, President Trump signed a Presidential Proclamation to have the national flag raised on all federal buildings and ships in the entirety of the USA. This proclamation is the only legal way to have flags raised to full truck in accordance with the Constitution and USC Title 4.
Respect for Both Situations
This practice balances the respect owed to a deceased former president with the celebration of a significant national event. The flexibility within the U.S. Flag Code allows the President or other designated officials to modify flag protocol for special circumstances like this.
The question still stands as to who authorized the flag to be raised for that day and under what authority. Only the President has the authority, not the Speaker of the House or and President Pro Tempore.
The Flag Code Text
The following is an extract from Title 4 U.S. Code § 7 – Position and manner of display (m).
- The flag, when flown at half-staff, should be first hoisted to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position. The flag should be again raised to the peak before it is lowered for the day.
- By order of the President, the flag shall be flown at half-staff upon the death of principal figures of the United States Government and the Governor of a State, territory, or possession, as a mark of respect to their memory.
- The flag shall be flown at half-staff 30 days from the death of the President or a former President; 10 days from the day of death of the Vice President, the Chief Justice or a retired Chief Justice of the United States, or the Speaker of the House of Representatives; from the day of death until interment of an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, a Secretary of an executive or military department, a former Vice President, or the Governor of a State, territory, or possession; and on the day of death and the following day for a Member of Congress. The flag shall be flown at half-staff on Peace Officers Memorial Day, unless that day is also Armed Forces Day.
This Needs to be Emphasized
The President has jurisdiction for flag display throughout the nation on all federal buildings with a proclamation. State buildings follow that proclamation (please read this). Private owners of flagpoles and masts can follow the proclamation but are not required.
Governors have the same jurisdiction in their state for the state flag and for the American flag on state buildings. Governors should not countermand a presidential proclamation. Private owners of flagpoles and masts in the state can follow the proclamation but are not required.
The Speaker of the House and President Pro Tempore of the Senate might possibly be able to direct the display of the flag for the Capitol building only but should not countermand a presidential proclamation.
The Governor’s Part
Is nothing for a national event. What I get from the extract below, the Governor is not to contradict the half-staff proclamation of a President to raise the flags in his/her state. A Governor only has control over the national flag in his/her state for state matters on state buildings, not national matters on federal buildings.
The Flag Code Text Specific to Governors
The following is an extract specific to Governors from Title 4 U.S. Code § 7 – Position and manner of display (m) (bold text emphasis mine).
- In the event of the death of a present or former official of the government of any State, territory, or possession of the United States, the death of a member of the Armed Forces from any State, territory, or possession who dies while serving on active duty, or the death of a first responder working in any State, territory, or possession who dies while serving in the line of duty, the Governor of that State, territory, or possession may proclaim that the National flag shall be flown at half-staff, and the same authority is provided to the Mayor of the District of Columbia with respect to present or former officials of the District of Columbia, members of the Armed Forces from the District of Columbia, and first responders working in the District of Columbia.
- When the Governor of a State, territory, or possession, or the Mayor of the District of Columbia, issues a proclamation under the preceding sentence that the National flag be flown at half-staff in that State, territory, or possession or in the District of Columbia because of the death of a member of the Armed Forces, the National flag flown at any Federal installation or facility in the area covered by that proclamation shall be flown at half-staff consistent with that proclamation.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to vexillologist DeVaughn Simper, his colleagues, and Mike Kelley for their helpful explanations of previous protocol.