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The Trump administration’s State Department, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has reportedly implemented a new policy restricting flag displays at U.S. government outposts both domestically and abroad, banning the use of flags including the LGBTQ+ Pride flag.

Under this directive, only the United States flag is permitted to be flown, with exceptions made for the Prisoner of War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA) emblem and the Wrongful Detainees flag.

This policy marks a reversal from the Biden administration’s approach, which had allowed the display of flags such as the LGBTQ+ pride flag and Black Lives Matter (BLM) flag at U.S. embassies and consulates.

According to The Washington Free Beacon, which obtained a copy of the directive, the order states: “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.”

“The flag of the United States of America unites 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. … 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.”

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The directive also includes a strict enforcement policy, warning that any State Department employee who violates the rule may face disciplinary action, including termination, contract termination, or reassignment to their home agency.

The move contrasts sharply with the Biden administration’s policies. In April 2021, then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken authorised U.S. embassies and consulates to fly the rainbow pride flag alongside the American flag. As The New York Times reported at the time, this approval allowed embassies to display the flag ahead of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia on May 17, as well as throughout June for Pride Month.

During that period, the U.S. Embassy in Nassau publicly displayed the pride flag “to honour the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons in The Bahamas and around the world,” according to a statement from the State Department. Similarly, in February 2022, the Biden administration authorised the raising of the Black Lives Matter flag at U.S. diplomatic posts in Brazil to commemorate Black History Month, as noted by The Washington Free Beacon.

With this latest policy shift, the Trump administration aims to establish a uniform approach to flag displays at U.S. government facilities worldwide.

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