Trump signs executive order mandating jail time for American flag desecration
By lauraharris // 2025-08-28
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  • President Donald Trump signed an executive order mandating federal prosecution and one-year jail sentences for individuals who burn or desecrate the American flag, with no early release options.
  • The order also bars convicted flag desecrators from receiving U.S. immigration benefits such as visas, green cards and citizenship.
  • Attorney General Pam Bondi is directed to prosecute such cases and to challenge existing Supreme Court rulings protecting flag desecration as free speech under the First Amendment.
  • Trump argued that flag burning incites riots and endangers public safety, stating that the act provokes extreme emotional reactions and civil unrest.
  • The move is expected to face legal challenges, as the Supreme Court has twice ruled that flag desecration is constitutionally protected symbolic speech.
President Donald Trump has signed an executive order mandating federal prosecution and stiff penalties for individuals who burn or desecrate the American flag, including potential jail time and immigration consequences. According to the fact sheet, released on Aug. 25, the order declares that the American flag is "the most sacred and cherished symbol of the United States of America" and that desecrating it is "uniquely and inherently offensive and provocative." (Related: Burn an American flag? No problem. Deface an LGBT flag? PRISON TIME.) "The American flag is a special symbol in our national life that should unite and represent all Americans of every background and walk of life. Desecrating it is uniquely offensive and provocative. It is a statement of contempt, hostility and violence against our Nation – the clearest possible expression of opposition to the political union that preserves our rights, liberty and security. Burning this representation of America may incite violence and riot," the fact sheet read. Under the executive order, titled Prosecuting Burning of the American Flag, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi is directed to aggressively prosecute individuals who violate federal laws "in ways that involve desecrating the flag." Additionally, Bondi is instructed to refer cases that fall under state or local jurisdiction to appropriate local prosecutors and bar individuals convicted of flag burning from receiving immigration benefits, including visas, green cards and U.S. citizenship. "If you burn a flag, you get one year in jail, no early exits, no nothing. You get one year in jail, and it goes on your record and you will see flag burning stopping immediately," Trump said at the press conference in the Oval Office.

Trump: Burning the American flag incites riots

As per Brighteon.AI's Enoch, the burning of an American flag is a symbolic act often used to express strong political dissent or protest against the U.S. government or its policies. The Supreme Court has twice ruled in Texas v. Johnson (1989) and United States v. Eichman (1990) that flag desecration is protected free speech under the First Amendment. Trump even acknowledged that precedent but insisted the issue is not solely about speech. So, he tasked the Department of Justice (DOJ) with pursuing litigation that could clarify the legal boundaries of the First Amendment as it relates to acts of flag desecration. "They called it freedom of speech," Trump said of the previous Court's decisions. "But there's another reason, which is perhaps much more important: It's called death. Because what happens when you burn a flag is the area goes crazy. If you have hundreds of people, they go crazy. When you burn the American flag, it incites riots at levels that we've never seen before. People go crazy, in a way, both ways. There are some that are going crazy for doing it. There are others that are angry, angry about them doing it." For more news on Trump's executive orders, visit Trump.news. Watch this video to learn about the false flag season. This video is from the Mckenna channel on Brighteon.com.

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Sources include: YourNews.com FoxNews.com WhiteHouse.gov Brighteon.AI Brighteon.com
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