Trump issues ultimatum to flag burners with one-year imprisonment

President Donald Trump has reiterated his directive, via an executive order signed on August 25, 2025, that anyone caught burning the American flag will face immediate arrest and a one-year prison sentence. This order instructs federal agencies, including ICE, Border Patrol, law enforcement, and the military, to enforce existing laws more aggressively against flag desecration, seeking maximum penalties and involving state and local authorities when appropriate. The executive order challenges longstanding Supreme Court rulings, particularly the 1989 Texas v. Johnson decision, which protects flag burning as free speech under the First Amendment, by focusing on cases where flag burning incites imminent lawless action. Legal experts and free speech advocates have expressed skepticism regarding the order's constitutionality and its chances of withstanding judicial scrutiny. The White House maintains that the policy balances protecting the flag as a national symbol while respecting First Amendment rights and preventing violence and chaos. President Trump has emphasized that this is part of a broader tough-on-crime approach aimed at preserving order and patriotism.