25 Aug 2025, 18:28
Trump signed a decree on the prosecution for burning American flags
- Trump signed a decree on criminal prosecution for burning flags.
- The decree encompasses a decision of the Supreme Court from 1989.
- The majority of Americans support a ban on burning flags.
On August 25, 2025, President of the USA Donald Trump signed a decree that obliges federal prosecutors to prosecute criminal cases against individuals who burn American flags during protests. This move is an attempt to circumvent the Supreme Court's 1989 decision in Texas v Johnson, which ruled that burning a flag is protected political expression under the First Amendment.
The decree requires U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to review cases where flag burning may be qualified as other crimes, such as public disorder violations or ecological offenses. Trump stated that flag burning incites protests and unrest that achieve previously unseen scales.
It is noteworthy that in 2020, polls showed that the majority of Americans supported criminalization of flag burning, and in a renewed poll in late 2023, 59% of respondents believe that burning American flags during protests should not be accepted.
Tags: USA/Politics