Former President Jimmy Carter, who once labeled Donald Trump a “disaster,” seems to have landed one final jab at the president-electโeven in death.
At 100 years old, Carter passed away last week. His death prompted the customary 30-day period of mourning. American flags will be flown at half-staff on federal properties and naval vessels during this period. This tradition, reserved for sitting and former presidents. It has now clashed with Trumpโs carefully orchestrated plans for his triumphant return to power.
Source of Frustration
Trump, known for his obsession with optics, took to Truth Social on Friday to lament the clash of events.
“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,” he wrote. “Nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it. Let’s see how it plays out. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
This solemn tradition, rather than being embraced, has become a source of frustration for Trump. He criticized Democrats for allegedly reveling in the situation. โThey think itโs so great, and are so happy about it because, in actuality, they donโt love our Country, they only think about themselves,โ he added.
When reporters questioned whether the White House might consider suspending mourning protocols to raise the flags to full height on Inauguration Day, Press Secretary Karinne Jean-Pierre responded unequivocally: โNo.โ
Humility of Carter, Trump’s Fixation for Grandeur
Trumpโs fixation on grandeur is nothing new.
In 2017, he spent weeks falsely claiming that his first inauguration drew the largest crowd in American history. “It looked like a million and a half people,” he declared, despite photographic evidence and official estimates placing the turnout between 300,000 and 600,000. In stark contrast, former President Barack Obamaโs 2009 inauguration attracted an unprecedented 1.8 million attendees.
Now, with Carterโs death casting a long shadow over the capital, Trump faces an unintentional but symbolic twist.
The irony of Carterโa president who championed humility and public serviceโposthumously altering Trumpโs moment in the spotlight is not lost on observers. As Americans honor Carterโs legacy, the 30-day tribute serves as a poignant reminder of the dignity and tradition that define the presidencyโqualities Carter embodied, and Trump often seems to eschew.
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