Trump Signs Flag-Burning Executive Order
On August 25, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled “Prosecuting Burning of the American Flag.” The order directs the U.S. Attorney General to prosecute flag desecration when it involves breaking existing laws, such as inciting violence, disturbing the peace, or violating environmental regulations, and to refer cases to state or local authorities when applicable. The order also calls for litigation to clarify First Amendment protections in flag-burning cases, potentially revisiting the 1989 Supreme Court ruling in Texas v. Johnson. During the ceremony, Trump stated, “If you burn a flag, you get one year in jail, no early exits, no nothing,” though the official order does not mandate this sentence.