Trump cracks down on flag-burners with new executive order
Trump's latest executive order permits the prosecution of desecrators of the American flag — while remaining deeply deferential to the First Amendment.
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Tonight, on The Ezra Levant Show, Ezra asks: What flag do you wave? What flag would you never wave? What flag would you burn — and should you even be allowed to?
Ezra begins by discussing U.S. President Donald Trump's recent executive order criminalizing the burning of the American flag.
"Our great American Flag is the most sacred and cherished symbol of the United States of America, and of American freedom, identity, and strength. Over nearly two-and-a-half centuries, many thousands of American patriots have fought, bled, and died to keep the Stars and Stripes waving proudly," reads the order.
It goes on to clarify that this criminalization will have limitations. Test cases will likely be warranted "to clarify the scope of the First Amendment exceptions in this area."
Ezra points out that the most important part of this order is that it gives the government the right to "deny, prohibit, terminate, or revoke visas, residence permits, naturalization proceedings, and other immigration benefits... whenever there has been an appropriate determination that foreign nationals have engaged in American Flag-desecration activity."
Ezra sees this as the latest move in a long-running, international "flag war." We've seen Mexican flags at anti-deportation riots, and Palestinian and trans flags flown by anarchists and thugs. Two years ago, during a visit to Oxford, Ezra counted only one UK flag on the whole campus, the rest being either pride or trans flags. In Ireland, demonstrators against Irish patriots have flown Palestinian, trans, and government labour union flags.
But on the other side of the conflict, we have Canadian flags flown by citizens, conservatives, freedom fighters, and, especially, the truckers. In Ireland, they fly the tricolour flag, and in the UK, they fly the English flag, regardless of the consequences.
And in the U.S., they have the American flag, perhaps the greatest symbol of freedom worldwide.
Ezra concludes that symbols have significance, and we need to pay attention to how they're used and how they should be protected.
GUEST: Dacey Media, on his exclusive reporting from on the ground this past weekend, showcasing anti-Israel protesters crashing and cancelling the Ottawa Gay Pride parade.
COMMENTS
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Fran G commented 2025-08-27 17:55:20 -0400I think it was a good middle finger to marxist carnage. I liked it. Well deserved. -
Barbara Duffy commented 2025-08-26 11:23:02 -0400The national flags are the most sacred & anyone should be punished for displaying any disrespect. In my opinion I do not think the gays should be given so much recognition. Our sexual preference is our own personal & private business. Straight people do not publicly display their preference. We do not NEED OR WANT a flag. I personally do not care about any ones sexual preference & do not need theirs pushed in my face with parades & flags!
I agree with Bruce Atchison whole heartedly! -
Anthony Salotti commented 2025-08-26 05:44:16 -0400Good .
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Paul Scofield commented 2025-08-25 21:59:46 -0400Trump’s EO will certainly be hauled into Federal court as soon as it is signed. British General Charles Napier’s 19th Century solution to conflicting freedom of expression questions in India contained an interesting, dual approach. Substitute flag for widow or women alive:
“Be it so. This burning of widows is your custom; prepare the funeral pile. But my nation has also a custom. When men burn women alive we hang them, and confiscate all their property. My carpenters shall therefore erect gibbets on which to hang all concerned when the widow is consumed. Let us all act according to national customs.[To Hindu priests complaining to him about the prohibition of Sati religious funeral practice of burning widows alive on her husband’s funeral pyre.]” -
Bernhard Jatzeck commented 2025-08-25 20:56:08 -0400Here in Canada, that would be considered “patriotism”. After all, wasn’t our national flag branded a hate symbol a few years ago?
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Bruce Atchison commented 2025-08-25 20:45:42 -0400I’ll check on Amazon if there’s a flag of Alberta. That’s my pride flag and it includes all people in this province. Burning a country’s flag is a big middle finger to all its citizens and everything it stands for. That’s what these foreign troublemakers mean when they wave Palestinian flags. They come here to glom all the good while badmouthing their hosts.
