Trump State Department Tells Embassies: Fly Stars And Stripes Only — No More Pride Flags

The government buildings of Biden‘s administration flew the pride and BLM Flags alongside Old Glory.

The order says that “starting immediately, only United States of America’s flag may be displayed or flown at U.S. installations, domestically and abroad. It can also appear in U.S. Government content.” The order states that “the flag of the United States of America united Americans under universal principles of freedom, justice and democracy.” All Americans, both past and present, share these values that are the foundation of our great nation.

State Department employees who violate the new policy “may face disciplinary actions, including termination or contract or reassignment back to their home agency.” Only the Wrongful detainees flag and the POW/MIA emblem will be allowed to fly.

The policy memo states that “the U.S. Flag is a powerful and enduring symbol of pride, and it is appropriate and respectful to only display the U.S. Flag at U.S. Facilities both domestically as well as abroad.”

The order was issued by Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday, shortly after his inauguration ceremony. Rubio had been confirmed as Secretary of States Monday night with a vote of 99 to 0. Rubio’s action signals his readiness to get started on a number of initiatives aimed at reshaping Foggy bottom’s diplomatic mission. The memo is also a fulfillment of President Donald Trump’s repeated promises to remove so-called “wokeness” from the American Government, by eliminating a litany diversity, equity and inclusion policies, which the Biden State department championed. Trump announced on Monday a series of executive orders for day one that will, among other changes, bring wholesale changes to the American diplomatic corp.

The White House announced in a press release on Monday that the State Department would have an America First foreign policy, and also hinted at Trump’s decision not to sign the Paris Climate Accord or reform the federal bureaucracy.

The Biden White House allowed the State Department also to fly an array of pride flags along with the official American flag, causing outrage among Republicans.

The State Department announced that the U.S. Embassy in Nassau, “raised a rainbow Pride Flag in June 2021 to honor the rights of LGBTQI+ people in The Bahamas and throughout the world,” at the time.

Raising the flag was the official U.S. government observance of June’s “pride month”. The State Department announced that “the widely recognized rainbow banner” would fly at the U.S. embassy in Downtown Nassau and the Chief of Mission Residence, located on Sanford Road.

Black Lives Matter was also displayed at the U.S. consulates and embassy in Brazil in celebration of Black History Month, which will be celebrated in February 2022.

In a press release at the time, the embassy stated that “Black Lives Matter started with a hashtag which initially focused on the treatment of racial minority by police. Over time, the phrase has gained international attention and it is now connected to collective efforts in order to reduce racism and create a more equal society.”

Biden reversed this decision in 2021. During Trump’s first term, the president rejected numerous requests by U.S. embassies or consulates for the raising of the pride flag. According to the New York Times, the then-secretary state Antony Blinken sent a internal State Department cable to “diplomats” in April that year allowing them to fly the pride banner.

In June 2023, the Biden administration held a Pride Month celebration on the South Lawn and draped pride flags over the White House. Three guests were caught taking topless pictures during those celebrations.

The Biden administration attacked Republicans for supporting a provision in March last year that would limit the number of American flags allowed to be flown from embassies. This measure is similar to the “One Flag Policy”, implemented on Monday by the Trump Administration, which suggests that GOP members of Congress were the ones who influenced the State Department memo.

The Biden administration has spent millions of dollars on DEI initiatives throughout the government. This includes more than 80 million dollars on programs to promote “racial equality” and to prevent “gender, sexuality and gender discrimination” overseas.