Secretary of State Marco Rubio's controversial flag order marks a significant shift in U.S. diplomatic messaging under the new Trump administration.
According to the New York Post, the State Department has issued a directive restricting flag displays at all U.S. diplomatic facilities worldwide to exclusively the American flag, with violators facing potential termination.
The sweeping policy change affects domestic and international State Department buildings, allowing only two exceptions: the POW/MIA flag and the Wrongful Detainees flag. This directive represents a decisive break from previous administrations' policies regarding flag displays at U.S. government facilities. The order explicitly threatens disciplinary action, including employment termination, for those who fail to comply with the new regulations.
The flag directive continues a contentious debate that has spanned multiple administrations. During Barack Obama's presidency, U.S. embassies began displaying Pride flags, a practice that was initially banned during Trump's first term in 2019. The Biden administration later reinstated the permission to fly Pride flags in 2021, demonstrating the back-and-forth nature of this policy issue.
Secretary Rubio's order, as detailed in documents obtained by the Washington Free Beacon, emphasizes the symbolic significance of the American flag. The State Department's reasoning centers on the flag's role as a unifying symbol for all Americans.
From the order, Rubio stated:
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.
The new directive builds upon existing restrictions implemented during the Biden administration. A $1.2 trillion spending package signed by former President Biden had already prohibited funds from being used to display alternative flags at State Department facilities. This previous limitation set the groundwork for the current, more comprehensive ban.
Republican lawmakers have previously attempted to codify similar restrictions through legislation. A Senate bill proposing a "one flag policy" for all federal buildings gained support from eight Republican sponsors, including then-Senator JD Vance, who now serves as Vice President.
The State Department's enforcement mechanism includes strict consequences for non-compliance. Personnel who violate the policy face a range of disciplinary actions, from reassignment to complete termination of employment or contractual agreements.
Under the new Trump administration's directive, the State Department characterizes the American flag as demanding singular respect. The order emphasizes this point through specific language about the flag's symbolic importance:
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.
The State Department's new flag policy, implemented by Secretary Marco Rubio on January 22, 2025, establishes strict guidelines limiting flag displays at U.S. diplomatic facilities worldwide to only the American flag, with specific exceptions for POW/MIA and Wrongful Detainees flags.
This directive, which applies to domestic and international facilities, represents a significant departure from previous administrations' approaches to symbolic displays at government buildings.
The policy includes serious consequences for non-compliance, potentially including employment termination, and builds upon existing spending restrictions while reflecting the Trump administration's emphasis on traditional national symbols.
