Pride Flag Removed from Stonewall Monument

Trump administration officials direct removal of rainbow flag, part of efforts to erase LGBTQ identity from federal landmarks

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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A rainbow Pride flag flying at the Stonewall National Monument in New York was removed at the direction of Trump administration officials at the National Park Service, according to a source. The move is part of ongoing efforts by the Trump-Vance administration to erase LGBTQ identity from federally controlled landmarks.

Why it matters

The Stonewall Inn and the surrounding area were the site of the 1969 Stonewall riots, a pivotal moment in the modern LGBTQ rights movement. The removal of the Pride flag from the national monument is seen as a symbolic attack on LGBTQ history and representation.

The details

The National Park Service cited a policy that only allows the U.S. flag, Department of the Interior flags, and the Prisoner of War/Missing in Action flag on public display, with limited exceptions. The agency said non-agency flags are only permitted for historical context, military branch flags, tribal nation flags, flags for international park designations, and flags for naturalization ceremonies.

  • The Pride flag was removed at the direction of Trump administration officials in recent weeks.

The players

National Park Service

The federal agency that manages the Stonewall National Monument and other national parks and landmarks.

Trump-Vance administration

The current presidential administration, led by former President Donald Trump and his running mate, which has taken steps to target and erase LGBTQ representation and history from federal sites.

Jessica Bowron

The Trump-appointed Director of the National Park Service.

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What they’re saying

“Current Department of the Interior policy provides that the National Park Service may only fly the U.S. flag, Department of the Interior flags, and the Prisoner of War/Missing in Action flag on flagpoles and public display points.”

— National Park Service (The Blade)

The takeaway

The removal of the Pride flag from the Stonewall National Monument is seen as a symbolic attack on LGBTQ history and representation, as the Stonewall Inn and surrounding area were the site of a pivotal moment in the modern LGBTQ rights movement. This action aligns with other moves by the Trump-Vance administration to target and erase LGBTQ identity from federally controlled landmarks.