PHOENIX — As far as Gov. Katie Hobbs is concerned, the nation remains in mourning for former President Jimmy Carter.

And that means Arizona state flags will remain at half-staff on Monday regardless of the fact the Donald Trump is being sworn in.

"We are following flag protocol, said gubernatorial press aide Christian Slater.''

The decision puts Hobbs at odds with governors of several other states who have decided they will raise flags there to their full height, at least on Monday.

Most of them are Republicans. But a few, like Gavin Newsom of California and Jared Polis of Colorado also said the flags in their states will fly at full staff, at least on Monday.

All this comes as Trump himself is upset that flags anywhere will remain at half-staff.

"The Democrats are all 'giddy' about our magnificent American Flag potentially being at 'half mast' during my inauguration,'' he wrote on Truth Social, blasting Democrats for making the country "a total mess'' over the past four years.

"Nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it,'' said Trump.

Slater said the governor's decision has nothing to do with the former and soon-to-be next president.

He pointed out that President Biden ordered flags be flown at half-staff for 30 days following the Dec. 29 death of the 39th president at age 100. And Slater said all Hobbs is doing is following protocol.

That protocol is not just what Biden prefers.

According to a publication of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, there was no guidance until 1954, something it said resulted in conflicting policies. All that changed when then-President Dwight Eisenhower issued a proclamation spelling out the protocols.

Eisenhower's directive even includes timelines for other officials.

Flags hang in place on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol ahead of President-elect Donald Trump's upcoming inauguration. On Friday, the ceremony was moved from outdoors into the Rotunda due to frigid temperatures expected Monday.

It's 10 days for a current or former vice president, chief justice of the Supreme Court or speaker of the House of Representatives. For other officials like associate Supreme Court justices, members of the Cabinet, and majority and minority leaders of the House and Senate, the flag remains lowered from the date of death until interment.

Trump, in his social media post, complained that having lowered flags for his inauguration "may'' mark the first time that has happened.

But the same thing happened in 1973 when Richard Nixon was sworn in for his second term: Flags were at half-staff following the death the prior December of former President Harry Truman.

Republican governors like Greg Abbott of Texas were inclined to agree with Trump.

"While we honor the service of a former president, we must also celebrate the service of an incoming president and the bright future ahead for the United States of America,'' he said in a statement.

Newsom did not explain his decision, instead having a spokesman confirm that flags at the state capitol in Sacramento will be raised temporarily for the inauguration.

But Newsom may have a reason for not angering Trump: California will be very dependent on federal aid to clean up and rebuild for the wildfires in and around Los Angeles.

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson also has ordered flags at the U.S. Capitol, where Trump will be sworn in on Monday to fly at full height, at least for that day.

While there are the protocols issued by Eisenhower, none of this is law.

Trump has the power, once he is sworn in, to reverse Biden's decision for a full 30 days of mourning and the lowered flags.