Across South Carolina and the rest of the country, United States flags were lowered on Friday, September 11, 2026, to commemorate Patriot Day and honor the memory of the thousands who perished during the terrorist attacks twenty-five years ago. The statewide gesture of solemn remembrance followed executive directives issued by both South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster and President Donald Trump.
Governor McMaster issued a statewide order directing that all flags flying atop state government buildings and local public facilities across the Palmetto State remain at half-staff from sunrise to sunset. This directive aligned state observances with a broader national proclamation designed to unify the country in mourning and reflection.
According to a formal statement released by the governor’s office, President Trump proclaimed Friday, September 11, 2026, as Patriot Day. In his proclamation, the president called upon public officials, private organizations, and individual citizens throughout the country to display the national flag at half-staff to pay homage to the victims of the tragedy.
The date marked the milestone 25th anniversary of the coordinated 2001 terrorist assault against the United States, an event that resulted in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people. The unprecedented attacks reshaped American society, national security policy, and modern history, leaving an indelible mark on the nation's collective consciousness.
During the morning of September 11, 2001, hijackers commandeered four separate commercial airliners. Two of those commercial planes were deliberately flown into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, causing both skyscrapers to collapse and claiming thousands of civilian and emergency responder lives.
A third aircraft was flown directly into the Pentagon facility in Arlington, Virginia, causing significant destruction and loss of life at the headquarters of the nation's defense establishment. A fourth hijacked airliner crashed into an open field in Pennsylvania after courageous passengers actively intervened to force the aircraft down before it could strike another intended target.
A quarter of a century after the tragedy, the events of that fateful morning continue to evoke profound emotion for millions of Americans who lived through the disaster. For younger generations, the attacks are studied through school curricula and historical texts, while remaining anchored in community commemorations, ceremonies, and solemn tributes such as the flying of flags at half-staff.
Flying a flag at half-staff serves as an established, symbolic gesture of shared mourning. According to federal guidelines outlined by USA.gov, the tradition of lowering the American banner signifies that a state or the entire nation is united in grief following a major loss or momentous occasion.
Under United States protocol, the authority to order American flags to half-staff is strictly limited to select chief executives. Only the President of the United States, a state governor, or the mayor of the District of Columbia holds the legal power to issue such official directives.
Executive orders to lower the flag are generally prompted by specific, predefined categories of national significance. Among the most frequent triggers is the death of a prominent government official, a member of the armed forces, or a first responder who died in the line of duty.
Proclamations are also issued in the wake of major national tragedies or disasters that result in widespread loss of life. Additionally, national days of remembrance, including Memorial Day and the annual observance of Patriot Day, routinely warrant designated flag-lowering orders across jurisdictions.
When a presidential proclamation is executed, its scope encompasses an extensive array of domestic and overseas facilities. Flags must be placed at half-staff at the White House, all federal public buildings and grounds, and throughout every domestic military installation, naval base, and stationed naval vessel across the United States and its territories.
The federal directive extends far beyond domestic borders to encompass American diplomatic and military posts across the globe. All United States embassies, consular posts, legations, and international military stations are bound by executive orders to lower their standards in unison with domestic sites.
When an order originates from a state governor rather than the president, the mandate applies directly to state-level infrastructure. Under gubernatorial authority, flags are lowered at the state capitol building as well as public properties and facilities administered by state and county governments.
The terminology surrounding this tradition often leads to confusion between the terms "half-staff" and "half-mast." Federal flag etiquette stipulates that the term "half-mast" is technically reserved exclusively for flags flown aboard naval vessels or on flagpoles located at naval stations ashore.
Conversely, when the American flag is lowered on any standard flagpole located elsewhere on land, proper protocol dictates that it is flying at "half-staff." Across South Carolina, this land-based tribute offered a visible reminder of sacrifice, resilience, and collective memory on the 25th anniversary of Patriot Day.
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