Veteran burns American flag outside White House as Trump signs flag order
A U.S. military veteran was captured on video burning an American flag outside the White House on the same day that President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at addressing flag desecration.
The executive order, signed by Trump on Monday, directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to prosecute violations of laws related to flag desecration and to pursue legal action to clarify the boundaries of the First Amendment in regards to flag desecration. The order also instructs Bondi to refer cases of flag desecration that violate state and local laws to the appropriate authorities.
In the video footage from outside the White House, the man, who identified himself as a veteran, can be seen speaking through a megaphone while burning the flag. “I am a 20-year veteran of the United States Army,” he declares as the flag burns at his feet. “It is our First Amendment right to burn this flag, regardless of what the president says.”
At one point in the video, another man approaches the veteran, but the interaction is unclear. The veteran responds by repeatedly telling him to “get away from me.”
Trump’s executive order comes in response to a series of flag-burning incidents at various protests, including anti-Israel and anti-ICE demonstrations. Despite the order, Trump has faced criticism from conservatives on social media who argue that flag-burning is a protected form of free speech under the First Amendment.
The Supreme Court previously ruled in the 1989 case Texas v. Johnson that burning the American flag is considered a form of symbolic speech protected by the First Amendment. Trump’s executive order, which aims to challenge the 1989 ruling by seeking to clarify the scope of First Amendment exceptions related to flag burning, suggests that there may be legal challenges ahead.
Overall, the debate surrounding flag desecration and the First Amendment continues to be a contentious issue in American politics.
This article was written by Anders Hagstrom for Fox News Digital, covering national politics and major breaking news events. For more information, contact Anders.Hagstrom@Fox.com or follow him on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.
