President Donald Trump on Saturday applauded Sens. Steve Daines (R-MT) and Kevin Cramer’s (R-ND) proposal to amend the Constitution to ban the burning of the American flag.
“All in for Senator Steve Daines as he proposes an Amendment for a strong BAN on burning our American Flag,” Trump tweeted. “A no brainer!”
All in for Senator Steve Daines as he proposes an Amendment for a strong BAN on burning our American Flag. A no brainer!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 15, 2019
Daines announced the joint effort with Cramer on Friday.
“The American Flag is a symbol of freedom – and it should always be protected,” the Montana senator tweeted.
Today, #FlagDay, I introduced a Constitutional amendment w/ @SenKevinCramer to ban the desecration of the American Flag.
The American Flag is a symbol of freedom – and it should always be protected. ??
— Steve Daines (@SteveDaines) June 14, 2019
“While we should always be mindful of First Amendment rights, the American flag signifies the founding principles that countless men and women have given their lives to preserve,” Cramer said in a statement published by local North Dakota NBC affiliate KFYR-TV. “Adding a constitutional amendment to protect this symbol of freedom and liberty is not an attack on another constitutional amendment; rather, it is an affirmation of the unifying principles our nation stands for.”
The Supreme Court ruled in 1989 that flag burning was protected speech under the First Amendment, and blocked Congress’ attempt to pass a flag protection law in another ruling in 1990.
Trump frequently likes to gin up conservative outrage against those who protest the flag or national anthem over police brutality against communities of color. He’s repeatedly attacked National Football League players who choose to kneel during the national anthem, even calling one of them a “son of a bitch.”
Trump insists, however, that it has “nothing to do with race.”
