Flags across the country will be lowered to half-staff until late next month to honor former President Jimmy Carter, who passed away at the age of 100.
According to U.S. flag code, flags must be lowered for 30 days following the death of a sitting or former president.
That timeline overlaps the Jan. 20 inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump and adds another layer of history to his presidential legacy.
When Trump takes the oath of office, he’ll be the first to do so while U.S. flags are lowered.
The closest it ever happened was in 1973, when then-President Richard Nixon ordered flags lowered to honor former President Lyndon B. Johnson who died just days after Nixon’s second swearing-in.
U.S. flag code requires flags stay at half-staff for at least 30 days for the death of a current or former president.
But, it’s not federal law, so as incoming president, Donald Trump could order flags raised back to full-staff.
Richard Nixon ordered flags raised back to full-staff on Feb. 13, 1973, during the 30-day mourning for former President Lyndon B. Johnson.
Nixon’s order was to honor the first American prisoners of war released from Vietnam. Flags were returned to half-staff the next day and stayed there for another eight days.
