MSNBC’s Witt Slams Trump Complaint on Flags Flying Half-Staff During Inauguration to Honor Jimmy Carter
MSNBC host Alex Witt slammed President-elect Donald Trump for complaining about flags flying at half-staff to honor deceased former President Jimmy Carter.
During Trump’s inauguration, flags above U.S. government buildings will fly at half-staff in order to honor Carter who died last week at the age of 100. Recently, the president-elect has complained on Truth Social that “no American can be happy” about the flag flying at half-staff during the event.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Friday said that President Joe Biden would not consider reversing the half-staff order for flags during Trump’s inauguration day.
Initially following Carter’s death, Trump issued a statement praising the former president after saying, “we all owe him a debt of gratitude.”
On Saturday, Witt asked fellow MSNBC anchor Chris Matthews about Trump’s “outburst” and wondered “why is he bothered by this tiny detail.”
WITT: We do have President elect Donald Trump, who appears to be pretty unhappy about that. He’s claiming without any evidence the Democrats are, in fact, giddy over flags at half staff for his upcoming inauguration, adding, quote, Nobody wants to see this and no American can be happy about it. You know, Trump says he’s going to attend Carter’s funeral, Chris, but how do you interpret his outburst and why is he bothered by this tiny detail given how Carter approached his own inauguration?
MATTHEWS: Well, you know, actually, he did say nice things about the former president, the late president. I was surprised at that, given the tone of politics today. People say nasty things about the other side. That’s the way people talk, especially Trump. And he did make a point to say something nice. And he’s going to attend the funeral. And I take that very seriously. He’ll be there with the other presidents, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama and the rest of them. And Joe Biden. Of course, the president is going to give the funeral oration. So he’s going to be part of the team if you will. Something he never likes to do. And I’m impressed. That flag at half staff, I think will be it’ll be noted on television, of course, but I think that’s not going to be a big part of the mood of the day.
Watch the clip above via MSNBC.
