Trump directs flags flown at half-staff for Pope Francis

[Polybius]

Source: The Hill

President Trump on Monday directed all federal and state flags to fly at half-staff in commemoration of Pope Francis, who died at the age of 88 earlier that morning.

The president said he signed an executive order to put the flags at half-staff just before exiting the White House for the traditional Easter Egg Roll event.

“He was a good man; he worked hard; he loved the world. And it’s an honor to do that,” Trump said, flanked by first lady Melania Trump and the White House Easter Bunny.

The president marked the pope’s death in a social media statement Monday: “Rest in Peace Pope Francis! May God Bless him and all who loved him!”

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5258740-trump-flags-half-staff-pope-francis/

---

The last time flags were lowered for a Pope's death was in 2005 for Pope John Paul II.

[Balatro]

1. Surprised Trump didn't say.

“Rest in Peace Pope Francis! May God Bless him and all who loved him, except the horrible, communist left wing democrats who which hunted my hoax with a laptop from hell while Liz Cheney did something, potato wedges. I need a strong shower the water isn't coming out fast enough. Open borders"

[louis-t]

3. You spelled 'boarders' wrong.

It's like they're inviting tenants in. The other one I hate is 'loose' for 'lose'.

[Balatro]

8. You're right!

He seems to always struggle with that word.

[Igel]

15. Don't worry. Its okay. Your be fine.

Yeah, I know, "it's", "you're".

Kudos on writing "tenant" and not "tenet".

[louis-t]

21. A guy was giving me a hard time last week. He wrote "you're an idiot".

I wrote "At least you didn't say 'your an idiot'."

[Wonder Why]

2. I hope we''ll soon have an opportunity to honor him in the same way but with flags the other way around.

[Aristus]

4. You just know whatever Catholics there are in his administration practically begged him to do it.

He's not really concerned about maintaining support; he's got what he wants; nearly unchecked power. But I'm sure someone is bearing in mind that keeping Catholic Trumpsters on board would be a good idea.

[chowder66]

5. After he was told to.... because we all know he didn't think to do this himself.

[Sogo]

6. He'll probably reverse his order about the flags and do a rage post if he's ever told about this....

"Francis had famously taken issue with Republicans’ handling of immigration, voicing the view of the Catholic Church that migrants should be welcomed and treated with dignity. He wrote a letter in February criticizing Trump’s mass deportation plans, arguing they leave people vulnerable and defenseless, and called for laws to help the most marginalized."

[twodogsbarking]

7. Trump would have had deported him given the chance, illegally of course, like always.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

9. I'm waiting to hear from Oklahoma's Superintendent of Education. NT

[Lulu KC]

10. Why?--edit, I found out

Last edited Mon Apr 21, 2025, 08:55 PM - Edit history (1)

1. They had nothing in common re. treatment of other humans and other life on our planet.
2. Pope Francis called him on stuff without reservations.
3. American flags and any religious leader anywhere? Why?

Color me disoriented.

Husband reminded me that he was also a head of state.

[Beartracks]

11. "flanked by first lady Melania..... and the White House Easter Bunny"

That had to be an odd visual for a somber statement.

================

[eppur_se_muova]

13. But the Easter Bunny had tears in his eyes !

He was barely able to choke out the words "Sir -- thank you, Sir !"

[FakeNoose]

12. But ... Chump wouldn't fly flags at half-staff for Jimmy Carter? A former US President?

[moniss]

14. I'm not sure but how is it that the President

supposedly has the power to tell a state how to fly their flag?

[Igel]

16. Short answer: He didn't.

Any more than Biden did when President Carter died.

The order, in toto, minus the header and typed signature:

A Proclamation

As a mark of respect for the memory of His Holiness Pope Francis, by the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, on the day of interment. I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same length of time at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-first day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.

Biden went a bit further, but didn't transgress any line, with Carter:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Memorial Day, May 27, 2024, as a day of prayer for permanent peace, and I designate the hour beginning in each locality at 11:00 a.m. of that day as a time when people might unite in prayer and reflection. I urge the press, radio, television, and all other information media to cooperate in this observance. I further ask all Americans to observe the National Moment of Remembrance beginning at 3:00 p.m. local time on Memorial Day.

I request the Governors of the United States and its Commonwealths and Territories, and the appropriate officials of all units of government, to direct that the flag be flown at half-staff until noon on this Memorial Day on all buildings, grounds, and naval vessels throughout the United States and in all areas under its jurisdiction and control. I encourage families, friends, and neighbors to post tributes to our fallen service members through the Veterans Legacy Memorial at vlm.cem.va.gov so that we may learn more about the lives and contributions of those buried in National, State, and Tribal veteran cemeteries. I also request the people of the United States to display the flag at half-staff from their homes for the customary forenoon period.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-eighth.

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

I used the state gov website because the original Biden proclamation's unpublished (if not deleted) on the federal server.

[moniss]

17. Thanks for that andd I can see that the words

"upon all public buildings and grounds" is where the expansion is because in the case of Crumb The 1st he is "ordering" it whereas Biden "requested" which of course is an entirely different thing. In the case of Joe he maintained the dignity and respect of the authority of governors.

[onenote]

18. "upon all public buildings and ground' is modified by "of the federal government'

And does not direct anything at the state level. It's the same language used by other presidents when ordering flags to be flown at half staff. See for example:

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

As a mark of respect for the victims of the attack on police officers perpetrated on Sunday, July 17, 2016, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, by the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, July 22, 2016. I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same length of time at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord two thousand sixteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-first.

BARACK OBAMA




https://halfstaff.org/president-obama-has-order-flags-to-half-staff-honoring-the-victims-of-the-attack-in-baton-rouge-louisiana/

[moniss]

19. The original thing we were speaking to was the

article from The Hill saying he ordered "federal and state flags" and my original question was concerning where any President would even have such authority over how a state flies a state flag.

[onenote]

20. Either the Hill article is wrong or many presidents have asserted the authority over how a state flies a state flag