The Donald Trump administration has implemented a “One Flag Policy” effective immediately, which bans the flying of any flag other than the Stars and Stripes at US facilities, including embassies and outposts, thereby reversing the Biden administration’s policy that allowed the display of Pride and Black Lives Matter flags. This move comes just 48 hours after the swearing in for the second time the 47th president.
The Biden administration authorized the display of such widely derided woke flags in 2021, following Trump’s initial rejection of requests to fly the Pride flag during his first term. The only other flags that will be permitted to fly going forward are the Prisoner of War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA) emblem and the Wrongful Detainees Flag.
"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," states an order issued by Secretary of State Marco Rubio shortly after his swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday (he was confirmed by senate Monday night in a 99 to 0 vote). "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."
Any State Department employee who violates the new policy will "face disciplinary action, including termination of employment or contract, or reassignment to their home agency." "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," according to the policy memorandum.
"On the President’s direction, the State Department will have an America-First foreign policy," the White House said in a Monday afternoon press release that also previewed Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord and reform the federal bureaucracy.
When it took over from Trump's in 2021, the Biden administration's then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued an order reversing the decision to reject the flying of the Pride flag.
Trump's executive order banning the woke flags was welcomed by conservatives across the world, but drew condemnations from triggered far-left LGBTQ activists. US has faced mockery and criticisms from around the world for flying pro-LGBTQ flags at its embassies.
Trump has also signed executive order banning various Marxist DEI(diversity, equity and inclusion) initiatives which the Biden administration spent millions on across the government, including more than $80 million on programs meant to advance "racial equity" and prevent "gender and sexuality discrimination" abroad.
