President-elect Donald Trump has expressed frustration that flags will be flying at half-staff when he takes office later this month. It's an action put in place by President Joe Biden to honour the late President Jimmy Carter, who died Sunday at 100.

It's not a timeline that Trump can do anything about - until after he takes office. On Sunday, Biden ordered that US flags be flown at half-staff in honour of the late former president. It's an honor that indicates that the country or a state is in mourning.

According to Biden's proclamation, US flags will be lowered for 30 days from Carter's death, until January 28.  This means that flags will be at half-staff when Trump takes office on January 20 and for the first week of his administration.

Flag code

The US flag code lays out parameters for lowering the US flag to half-staff, including a 30-day period for current or former presidents to cover flags at federal government buildings and their grounds, as well as at US embassies and other facilities abroad, including military installations and vessels.

Flags can be lowered to commemorate the deaths of other officials, including the vice-president, Supreme Court justices and members of Congress, although those periods aren't as long. Flags can also be ordered lowered in other circumstances, including a national tragedy or on Memorial Day.

Since the US flag code states that no flag should fly higher than the American flag on the same pole or nearby, state flags get lowered during those periods, too.

According to the US General Services Administration, the president, a governor and the mayor of the District of Columbia can order US flags to be flown at half-staff.

Trump’s  reaction

On Friday, Trump posted on social media that "Democrats are all giddy'" about the notion that flags will be lowered when he takes office as president. "Nobody wants to see this," Trump wrote. He added that "no American can be happy about it. Let's see how it plays out.

MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"  Asked about Trump's post at Friday's briefing, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden would not consider reversing or reevaluating the half-staff plans. However, once he becomes President, Trump can override the  order