Donald Trump on Saturday (Jan 4) slammed US President Joe Biden's administration for its order to keep flags across the country at "half-mast" in mourning over the death of former president Jimmy Carter.

Advertisment

As it is customary, Biden has ordered that flags across the country remain at half-staff for 30 days, which means that the American flag will remain at half-mast when Trump takes office. The US flag code details half-staff procedures, notably including a 30-day period for deceased current or former presidents.

Also read | Jimmy Carter state funeral: US bids farewell to its longest-living former president

Expressing his ire, US President-elect Trump in a post on Truth Social insinuated that this was a conspiracy by Democrats and said that "no American can be happy about it". His post comes as the United States bids farewell to its 39th president, Jimmy Carter.

Advertisment

What Trump said

Trump on his social media platform alleged that Democrats were "all giddy" about "our magnificent American Flag potentially being at 'half-mast' during my Inauguration."

Also read | Biden's 'decency' remark on Trump sparks backlash, Republicans slam his 'unmitigated gall'

Advertisment

Painting the mourning custom as something of a conspiracy by his predecessor, he alleged, "They think it’s so great, and are so happy about it because, in actuality, they don’t love our Country, they only think about themselves."

"Look at what they’ve done to our once GREAT America over the past four years - It’s a total mess!"

"In any event, because of the death of President Jimmy Carter, the Flag may, for the first time ever during an inauguration of a future President, be at half-mast. Nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it. Let’s see how it plays out," he added.

Also read | Jimmy Carter, former US president, dies at 100: Life, legacy and more

Jimmy Carter's state funeral

The state funeral of former United States president Jimmy Carter began on Saturday (Jan 4) in Georgia. The six-day farewell for the 39th President of the United States began with ceremonies in his home state. The US' longest-living president will lie in repose in Georgia before being flown to Washington, DC, on Tuesday (Jan 7). Carter passed away at the age of 100 in Plains, Georgia, on December 29.

(With inputs from agencies)