why is the flag at half mast today

The flag is at half-mast today, August 29, 2025, as a mark of respect for the victims of a mass shooting that occurred on August 27, 2025, at a Catholic school in Minneapolis, Minnesota. President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. flags to be flown at half-staff nationwide from August 27 to August 31, 2025, in honor of the victims of this senseless act of violence. Additionally, some states, like Louisiana, also have their flags at half-staff to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina on this date.