‘OUTRAGED’: Trump Makes Mamdani Soften Down By Imposing Federal Code In NYC
A clash between Democratic officials in New York City and the Trump administration is intensifying over a Pride flag flown at a federal monument outside the Stonewall Inn.
Earlier this week, the administration removed a Pride flag from the Stonewall National Monument. Officials said the action followed longstanding federal rules governing which flags may be displayed at national monuments.
The administration maintains that only the American flag, the Department of the Interior flag, or POW/MIA flags are permitted, not political flags. Pride flags, however, have continued to fly around the Stonewall Inn itself, which sits adjacent to the monument.
The decision triggered backlash from activists and city leaders, including New York City’s socialist mayor, Zohran Mamdani. He posted on X that he was “outraged” and said “our city has a duty not just to honor this legacy, but to live up to it.”
On Thursday, hundreds of demonstrators gathered as local officials re-raised the Pride flag at the monument, according to Fox 5 New York.
The Department of the Interior, which oversees the National Park Service, blasted the move.
“Instead of addressing the basic needs of their constituents, city leaders seem more focused on theatrics than solutions,” a Department of the Interior spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
“Residents are left wondering why their elected officials are prioritizing headlines over heating. Every day that these issues go unresolved is another day families are forced to live with the consequences of mismanagement and neglect.”
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The spokesperson added, “Hundreds of families in New York City went without power during this year’s severe cold weather, people are being found dead on the streets, and trash has piled up so high it towers over city residents. This is Mayor Mamdani and city officials’ New York City.”
“While today’s political stunt is a distraction from their recent deadly failures, it would be a better use of their time to get the trash buildup off city streets, ensure there are no more avoidable deaths, and work to keep the power on for the people of New York City.”
Interior officials argued that recent changes to flag displays at the monument reflect “longstanding federal flag policy” and are intended to ensure “consistency with federal guidance.”
“Stonewall National Monument remains committed to preserving and interpreting the history and significance of this site through its exhibits, programs, and educational initiatives.”
A source familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital that an American flag had not previously been displayed at the monument and park officials purchased one to comply with the U.S. Code.
The source said the dispute is not unique to Stonewall but part of broader concerns about the politicization of national parks by employees dubbed “Resistance Rangers,” described as workers openly opposing the Trump administration.
Outside Magazine reported last fall that an upside-down American flag was unfurled on Yosemite National Park’s El Capitan cliff, along with similar protests at other park sites. The demonstrations were linked to fired National Park Service employees, activists, and anonymous staff identifying themselves as the “Resistance Rangers.”
The Stonewall National Monument was established on June 24, 2016, by President Barack Obama. It marked the first U.S. national monument dedicated to LGBTQ history, commemorating the 1969 riots widely viewed as a turning point in the modern gay rights movement.
Read the latest on Zohran Mamdani’s NYC here