Trump supporters turn American flag upside down in protest
Supporters of former President Trump nationwide are expressing their displeasure with a New York jury’s guilty verdict by flipping the American flag upside down in protest against what they perceive as the weaponization of the U.S. legal system.
One individual was spotted waving an inverted U.S. flag outside Trump Tower following the jury’s decision on all 34 counts in the trial where Trump was accused of hiding payments to Stormy Daniels to sway the 2016 election outcome.
Notable figures such as Republican National Committee co-chair Lara Trump, Donald Trump Jr., and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene shared images of inverted flags on social media. Country music artist Jason Aldean also posted an upside-down flag on Instagram to convey his concerns about the current state of the nation.
In Paradise Valley, Arizona, Trump donor and former ambassador to Jamaica Don Tapia flew an inverted flag outside his home, receiving support from callers and motorists passing by. The Miami Proud Boys and Patriot Voice groups also showcased the inverted flag as a symbol of distress.
Presidential historian Timothy Naftali highlighted the historical significance of the upside-down American flag, historically used by anti-slavery advocates, Vietnam War protesters, and civil rights activists. Recent instances of displaying the inverted flag include protests after the death of George Floyd and the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision reversal.
Following Trump’s guilty verdict, pundits, podcast hosts, and everyday Americans rallied around the symbol of the inverted flag to express their discontent. The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, uploaded an image of the flag alongside their logo on social media.
On various platforms, posts described the verdict as a prelude to “war” or a potential “civil war.” Phrases like “RIP America” trended on social media, with many predicting the demise or collapse of the country akin to the fall of Rome. Elon Musk and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy alluded to historical parallels in their responses to the trial outcome.
