Trump Bans Burning U.S. Flag One-Year Jail for Offenders

Open Brief

Today, President Trump signed a sweeping executive order cracking down on flag desecration across the United States. Under the new rules, anyone caught burning the American flag faces up to one year in prison, with no early release allowed. The Department of Justice is empowered to enforce penalties, prosecute offenders, and ensure that symbolic attacks on national pride are treated seriously. Supporters praise the move as a defense of national dignity, while critics question its impact on long-standing legal protections.

Transcript

00:00Tonight, a bold and sweeping executive order from the Oval Office.

00:04As of August 25, 2025, those caught burning the American flag may face criminal charges

00:10and up to one year in prison, no early release allowed.

00:14This decisive move, the President insisted, is aimed at halting what he calls

00:18people destroying our nation through acts of symbolic desecration.

00:23The directive directs the Department of Justice to prosecute flag burners under existing criminal statutes,

00:28even though decades of legal precedent, including a landmark 1989 court decision,

00:34have held that flag burning is protected political expression.

00:38The goal now to target related crimes, like incitement of violence or breaches of peace,

00:43in order to hold offenders accountable.

00:46At signing, the President made clear his intentions.

00:49If you burn a flag, you get one year in jail, no early exits, he said,

00:53calling the act uniquely offensive and suggesting it can stir unrest.

00:57The order also empowers the Attorney General to press charges and, crucially,

01:02to strip foreign nationals of visas or residency if they participate in such acts.

01:07Supporters cheer this as a reclaiming of national dignity.

01:10Critics, however, argue it steps on fundamental liberties long upheld in legal precedent.

01:16Whether this move will reshape the boundaries of patriotic expression

01:19or clash with constitutional protections remains uncertain.

01:23The

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