A clip appearing to show Donald Trump signing his name on an American flag has gone viral as people call him out for seemingly violating the U.S. Flag Code.
In a clip posted on X by Patriot Takes, an account that describes itself as promoting “dedicated research monitoring and exposing right-wing extremism and other threats to democracy,” the former president can be seen writing what appears to be his signature with a black marker on the fabric.
Around a table, a number of members of the public stand holding the flag down as Trump scribbles along one of its white stripes.
The clip has accumulated almost a million views since it was posted on September 12, the day after the former president attended a commemoration of the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City. The post implied the footage was taken during the anniversary of September 11, although Newsweek was unable to verify when it was filmed.
According to section 8 of the U.S Flag Code, “The flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it, nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing of any nature.”
A Trump spokesperson has been contacted by Newsweek for comment.
Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump hugs the flag as he speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference, on February 24, 2024. Despite his love for the flag, Trump has been called out for violating the U.S. flag code on 9/11 by signing his name on one.
Alex Brandon/AP
Trump is seemingly familiar with the code, referencing it in 2017 when he gave an address reflecting on the importance of respecting the American flag.
The former president said: “In 1942, Congress passed the United States Flag Code, creating official standards for how we treat our beloved flag. From this code, we teach each new American generation to always show our flag the respect it deserves.”
While there are no penalties or violations for breaking the U.S. Flag Code, its terms detail that “it is important to respect the guidelines as a sign of patriotism and respect for the country.”
Despite appearing to violate the flag code, Trump’s love for the flag has been shown over the years by his tendency to hug it, something he did during his Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) speech in February this year.
He also hugged the U.S. flag in June 2018 at the end of a speech in front of the National Federation of Independent Businesses, when he walked over to a standing flag on the side of the stage and embraced the American symbol, according to Mashable.
This was also something he did during his 2016 campaign trail, the outlet reported. There is nothing in the U.S. Flag Code to say you can’t hug a flag.
Trump is not the only political figure to have come under fire for disrespecting the flag code. In June 2023, after Joe Biden hosted a Pride celebration at the White House, where there was a display of two U.S. flags and the Progress Pride flag, the president became the subject of online criticism, as reported by Reuters.
In this circumstance, according to the outlet, some argued it violated the U.S. Code’s terms that the U.S. flag “should be at the center and at the highest point of the group” of flags when displayed from staff.
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