Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen (R-NE) directed flags at the state Capitol to be flown at full staff on Inauguration Day, departing from a nationwide directive to keep them at half-staff in honor of former President Jimmy Carter, who recently passed away.
Pillen’s decision came in response to a complaint by President-elect Donald Trump.
“The official installation of a President is a historic day in the calendar of our nation and should be recognized as such,” Pillen explained in a statement. “Having the flag at full staff symbolizes the respect to that office and our nation’s newly elected leader.”
The governor’s statement clarified that flags would return to half-staff the morning after the inauguration and remain so until January 28, as previously designated to honor Carter.
Trump voiced his disapproval of flags being at half-staff for his inauguration in a Truth Social post on January 3.
“Nobody wants to see this,” Trump wrote. “The Democrats are all ‘giddy’ about our magnificent American flag potentially being at ‘half mast’ during my inauguration.”
Pillen is the second Republican governor to make such a move. Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) also issued a similar order, ensuring flags would fly at full staff on January 20.
“While we honor the service of a former President, we must also celebrate the service of an incoming President and the bright future ahead for the United States of America,” Abbott stated.
This decision has sparked debate, as some see it as a political gesture that undermines the somber tradition of honoring former presidents. Critics argue it sends a conflicting message about national unity during a time meant to respect both a new presidency and a past leader’s legacy.
Supporters, however, argue that the move reflects the significance of a peaceful transition of power, an essential hallmark of American democracy.
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