In a true act of hate that only he can deliver, Trump ordered the Pride flag that’s flown at the Stonewall National Monument in New York City since 2016 to be taken down Monday.
The National Park Service removed the flag from Christopher Park in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village. A Park Service spokesperson said the agency is following “government-wide guidance” from the Trump administration’s Interior Department that limits which flags can fly on federal property. Only the U.S. flag and congressionally authorized flags are allowed on NPS flagpoles.
President Barack Obama designated Stonewall as the nation’s first LGBTQ+ national monument in 2016. The site sits across from the Stonewall Inn, where bar patrons fought back against a police raid in June 1969 in what became the spark for the modern gay rights movement.
New York Officials React
Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal released a statement with other New York officials calling it “a deliberate act of erasure.” He said the Pride flag represents “history, resistance, and Pride born at Stonewall itself.”
NYC Council Speaker Julie Menin said the removal was “a deliberate and cowardly attempt to erase that history.” Ya think?
“The meanspiritedness of the Trump administration seems to know no bounds,” said Sigal, who is gay. “But we as a community are not going to take it standing by idly as our history, and by extension our human rights, are attempted to be erased.”
Part of a Pattern
The Interior Department sent out the memo in January. It says non-agency flags can’t fly on federal buildings and property. This isn’t new territory for the Trump administration when it comes to Stonewall. Last year the monument’s website got edited to remove references to transgender and queer people after Trump signed an executive order saying there are only two biological sexes. The “T” and “Q” got dropped from “LGBTQ” on Park Service materials.
Senator Chuck Schumer said the flag needs to go back up now. “Stonewall is a landmark because it is the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ rights movement, and symbols of that legacy belong there by both history and principle,” he said. “That flag will return. New Yorkers will see to it.”
What Happens Next
There’s a rally planned for Tuesday evening at Christopher Park. Hoylman-Sigal said residents might just raise the flag themselves, “in the spirit of 1969.”
The Stonewall Inn across the street still has Pride flags up. It’s privately owned, so federal policy doesn’t apply there.
West Hollywood Pride Moves Forward
The Stonewall flag removal comes as Pride events nationwide face financial pressure from declining corporate sponsorships and the Trump administration’s anti-DEI policies. Tucson Pride shut down after 50 years, citing debt and lost sponsors. Tampa Pride canceled its 2026 events, blaming Florida’s political climate.
West Hollywood Mayor John Heilman said when announcing this year’s Pride dates, “WeHo Pride is a celebration of who we are as LGBTQ+ people, where we’ve come from and who we continue to strive to be as a community in the ongoing fight for full equality.”
The flag removal is particularly galling to many of us given that last fall, the Trump ordered flags nationwide lowered to half-staff for anti-LGBTQ+ commentator Charlie Kirk following his assassination. West Hollywood complied with the directive despite Kirk’s history of attacking the LGBTQ+ community, sparking backlash from residents who questioned why Pride flags would honor someone who spent his career vilifying queer people.
West Hollywood’s Pride runs June 5-7 this year. The weekend includes the Pride Parade and the OUTLOUD Music Festival.
Stop foliowng the orders of a bigot and liar. This country is for all who live here as citizens.
“Only the U.S. flag and congressionally authorized flags are allowed on NPS flagpoles.” As much as we’d like to make it all about us, it’s not. All federal parks can only fly the American flag. Christians can’t have their flag on a national park flag pole, the Jewish community can’t have their flag run up a national park flag pole, Latinos can’t have a flag represent representing their community run up a national park flag pole… You get the idea. National parks can only display the nation’s flag… The American flag. The park itself is not being removed. It’s still… Read more »
WELL SAID!!!!!
Of course. WH is a silly place……so of course this will bother them.
Of course you would say this. Yes, this is a national monument, but it is specifically a national monument to the gay and lesbian struggle. That struggle is represented by the rainbow flag. For the Twitler regime to remove the one symbol that reflects the gay struggle is an affront to the events that happened there. So yeah, we are allowed to be offended, just as you’re allowed to be a surly POS when it comes to anything that you don’t agree with. Seriously, move TF OUT OF WEHO AND MOVE TO IDAHO. You’d be much more suited there. You… Read more »
Disagreement is not hate. Every adult should know this. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. And everyone is entitled to live where they want to live. I think the gay community just needs to get over ourselves. The park is still there. Recognition is still given. Our national parks fly just one flag- the national flag -the American flag.
Have you ever read any of “Ham’s” comments????? They are nothing but hate. He’s an unhappy, right wing individual that does nothing but spew hate on this site.
So please go grab a cup of coffee with him and plan your move to a red state. I guarantee you’d both be happier if you weren’t exposed to so many people that actually CARE about other human beings.
Peace out.
You’re the one that sounds hateful. God bless the tolerant far life. They’re the most intolerant people. I hope you find some peace.
People don’t have to agree with you. In fact most don’t. But you’ll survive somehow.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Deep South would be a good move too.
Silly ….elaborate
You are out of your mind
Exactly
How come we hear crickets from the Log Cabin self-hating homos.
What an asinine comment.
It’s a legitimate comment you blowhard
Legitimately dimwitted.
Not all gays think alike. Not all gays belong to the same cult or group think. Grow up.
You’re correct. Some belong to the self loathing log cabin club.
It is, isn’t it?
Which comment are you replying to Chloe?
This is a petty and mean spirited act from a small minded bully. It is going to take more than removing a flag to “erase” Stonewall from America’s history. Congress needs to change the law to insure the Rainbow flag flies over this historic spot.
Speaking truth to power. I can’t abide bigots or liars!
While Rump was able to evade military service due to his ‘bone spurs’, I have figured out the perfect military position for him- Chief Petty Officer! SO PETTY!🏳️🌈