In brief
The Trump administration has decided to keep the rainbow Pride flag flying at the Stonewall National Monument, reversing its earlier decision to remove the flag. This move comes after a lawsuit from LGBTQ+ activists and historical preservation groups, indicating the government's commitment to acknowledging diverse American histories. A judge's approval is still needed for the agreement, which will see the flag hanging from the Stonewall monument alongside U.S. and Park Service flags.
NEW YORK (AP) — The Trump administration has agreed to keep flying a rainbow Pride flag at the Stonewall National Monument, reversing direction after it was removed in February.
This decision coincides with efforts to settle a lawsuit from LGBTQ+ advocates and historic preservation groups, challenging the flag’s removal. A judge must approve this agreement before it is finalized.
The Interior Department and National Park Service have committed to ensuring the Pride flag remains displayed at the site, with exceptions only for maintenance needs.
Under the new agreement, the Park Service plans to hoist three flags—U.S., Park Service, and the Pride flag—on the monument's flagpole next week, with the Pride flag positioned in the middle.
Initially, the flag's removal ignited controversy around President Donald Trump's approach to LGBTQ+ representation at national monuments. Stonewall is the first national monument dedicated to LGBTQ+ history.
Activists celebrated the installation of the Pride flag in 2022 during President Joe Biden's administration following years of advocacy for its consistent display.
Park officials described the display as a commitment to representing the complex histories of Americans. However, its removal had sparked outcry, interpreted by many as a negation of LGBTQ+ rights.
In response to the removal, local officials and activists quickly raised another flag, demanding its return to prominence at the site.
Previously established by President Barack Obama in 2016, the Stonewall monument commemorates the historic place where a police raid in 1969 ignited a new chapter in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights.
In 2022, the monument faced policy changes that aimed to diminish focus on diversity and LGBTQ+ issues, including the dismantling of such references from its historical materials.
Trump's administration's stance has led to reevaluations of messaging at numerous national sites, discouraging narratives deemed 'divisive' or not representing an American consensus.
