WASHINGTON — It’s time to take pride in the American flag again, President Trump’s State Department said on Tuesday.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday banned flying any other flags besides the Stars and Stripes at State Department facilities — from domestic buildings to foreign outposts — in a blow to leftists who have flown gay pride and Black Lives Matter flags on US government buildings, the Washington Free Beacon reported.
“Starting immediately, only the United States of America flag is authorized to be flown or displayed at U.S. facilities, both domestic and abroad, and featured in U.S. government content,” Rubio’s order said, according to copy obtained by the outlet.
“The flag of the United States of America united all Americans under the universal principles of justice, liberty, and democracy. These values, which are the bedrock of our great country, are shared by all American citizens, past and present.”
In the order, the new Trump State Department said the decision was made to be “respectful” to the American flag.
“The U.S. flag is a powerful symbol of pride and it is fitting and respectful that only the U.S. flag be flown or displayed at U.S. facilities, both domestically and abroad,” it said.
However, there are two exemptions to the rule: State Department facilities may still fly the Prisoner of War/Missing in Action flag and the Wrongful Detainees flag.
State Department employees who violate the Trump administration policy will “face disciplinary action, including termination of employment or contract, or reassignment to their home agency,” the order states.
Pride flag displays outside State Department facilities were previously banned under a $1.2 trillion spending package signed by President Joe Biden in March that held that “none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be obligated or expended to fly or display a flag over a facility of the United States Department of State.”
The new policy ensures that remains the case past the expiration of that spending package.
The flying of Pride flags at US embassies has been debated between Democrats and Republicans for years. They were first flown at US embassies during President Barack Obama’s administration before they were banned by the first Trump administration in 2019.
The ability was reinstated by the Biden administration in 2021.
The Senate last year introduced a bill that would make the so-called “one flag policy” the law of the land for all federal buildings. While Rubio was not a co-sponsor, Vice President JD Vance — then an Ohio senator — was one of the bill’s eight Republican sponsors.
The State Department did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
