Gov. Cox faces flag choice for Trump's inauguration during Carter mourning period

• But flag position was fast becoming the nation's new political loyalty test this week as U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson joined GOP governors in Texas, Alabama, Nebraska, North Dakota, Tennessee, Florida, Idaho, Arkansas, Indiana, Missouri, South Carolina, Wyoming, Mississippi, Montana, South Dakota and Iowa in ordering flags raised contrary to U.S. Flag Code.

Driving the news: Axios asked Cox's office Tuesday whether flags would remain at half-staff for all 30 days; a spokesperson for the governor acknowledged receipt of the question but had not provided an answer as of mid-day.

Context: Cox, who previously nurtured a profile as a moderate conservative and critic of President-elect Trump, lurched to the political right last year.

• The most notable pivot was his endorsement of Trump barely a week after saying he wouldn't vote for him.
• Cox attributed his change of heart to the assassination attempt in July at a Pennsylvania rally, calling Trump's survival a "miracle" that would unite the nation — language echoed by Republicans calling for flags to be fully raised Monday.

Between the lines: The Jan. 20 date of Trump's inauguration was public knowledge when Cox and other Republican governors issued their flag-lowering orders last month.

• It's unclear why the Monday exception was not written into the orders at the time.

Catch up quick: Trump took to Truth Social in early January to complain: "The Democrats are all 'giddy' about our magnificent American flag potentially being at 'half mast' during my inauguration," he wrote.

• "Nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it," he added. "Let's see how it plays out."

The latest: Flags were at full staff in front of his private Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, the AP reported Monday.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to include more states that have ordered flags raised.