White House Flag at Half-Staff: The Real Reason

Visitors to Washington, D.C., on August 29, 2025, noticed that the flag at the White House was at half-staff. For many of the visitors, the same question arose: Why is the flag at half-staff? The answer involves a national tragedy that shook the residents of Minneapolis and our country as a whole.

Remembering the Victims of the Minneapolis School Shooting

On August 27, 2025, a gunman opened fire at the Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, killing two children and injuring 17 others, some of whom sustained life-threatening injuries. The shooter died on the premises.

Taking place during the first week of an academic year, this heinous attack is referred to as one of the worst school tragedies in recent U.S. history. Survivors, families, students and communities throughout Minneapolis were left traumatized by this senseless act of violence.

White House Flag Lowered Today by Presidential Order

In light of the tragedy, President Donald Trump made a proclamation indicating flags should remain at half-staff until sunset on August 31, 2025. In the proclamation, the President referred to the shooting as a "senseless act of violence" and requested all Americans keep the victims in mind and their loved ones in their prayers.

The order for half-mast applies to all federal buildings, military posts, and U.S. embassies around the world and underscores the significance of the flag at the White House, and likely also speaks to the fact that the nation came to its collective knees in a moment of mourning.

HAPPENING NOW!

President @realDonaldTrump orders the White House flags to be flown at half staff in honor of the victims of the Minneapolis shooting 🙏🏼🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/KR7uTIEXDg

— Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) August 27, 2025

What does Half-Staff Really Mean?

To fly a flag at half-staff is to engage in a national symbol of mourning, respect, and remembrance. In the U. S., half-staff is determined by the office of the President, Congress, or Governor after consultation with the Secretary of State or required by law. 

Flags are typically lowered to half-staff for the following reasons:

•  To honor someone at the national level or a very well known person.
• To honor the lives of people lost a tragedy or act of terrorism or disaster.
• To mark national days of mourning, for instance, Memorial Day.

When others see the flag at the White House lowered, we likely interpret this as the nation's collective sadness and melancholic disposition.

Why This Story Is Receiving International Coverage

The news has gone viral and is being shared for a variety of reasons:

• Emotional – The victims were children, which makes it even more devastating.
• National – The White House flag is a recognizable symbol of the U.S.
• Public Interest – Many people are searching "why is the flag half-staff today?"
• Social Media – Images of the lowered flag are being shared and discussed.

When Is the Flag Going Back to Full-Staff? 

In the proclamation, the flag will remain at half-staff until sunset on August 31, 2025, at which point it goes back to full-staff unless there is some other national event or tragedy that causes the mourning period to be extended.

Remembering Lives Lost 

While flag lowering does not lessen the pain of the tragedy, it serves as a public representation of national unity. It symbolizes that the nation is in solidarity with the victims' families' and the Minneapolis mourners, while also increasing awareness of the continuing tragic impact of school shooting incidents in the United States.