Newsom Orders Flags Raised to Full-Staff for Trump’s Inauguration

California Governor Gavin Newsom has announced that U.S. flags will be raised to full-staff across the state on Inauguration Day as President-elect Donald Trump is sworn into office. The directive aligns Newsom with Republican governors who have similarly called for the temporary lifting of flags to honor the historic occasion.

Newsom’s spokesperson, Izzy Gardon, confirmed the decision on Wednesday, stating that the governor will issue the directive on Monday, ensuring that the American flag flies high during the inauguration.

Newsom joins Republican governors Ron DeSantis (FL), Greg Abbott (TX), and Kim Reynolds (IA), among others, in ordering flags to be raised for the ceremony. Flags have flown at half-staff since December 29 to honor the passing of former President Jimmy Carter, as per federal protocol. After the inauguration, flags will return to half-staff for the remainder of the 30-day mourning period.

Trump praised the decision to raise the flags, expressing disdain for the idea of an inauguration under the symbolic shadow of half-mast flags. “Nobody wants to see the American flag at half-staff during the inauguration,” Trump remarked earlier this month. “No American can be happy about it.”

Newsom’s decision to raise the flags may be viewed as a gesture of bipartisan respect, but it comes amid heightened tensions between the California governor and Trump. The president-elect has sharply criticized Newsom’s handling of California’s wildfire crisis, accusing him of failing to approve key water policies that could have mitigated the devastation.

“Newsom refused to sign the water restoration declaration…that would have allowed millions of gallons of water to flow into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way,” Trump said on Truth Social.

Newsom dismissed Trump’s remarks as uninformed, asserting, “Anyone that understands water policy in the state knows his comments are incomprehensible.”

Despite ongoing disputes, Newsom’s decision underscores the importance of respecting national symbols. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) similarly directed U.S. flags at the Capitol to be raised on Inauguration Day, further solidifying bipartisan agreement on the protocol.

While Newsom faces scrutiny from Republicans over his policies, this move marks a rare moment of alignment, ensuring that the American flag serves as a unifying symbol as the country transitions into a new administration.

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