Trump Administration Removes Rainbow Flag from NYC's Stonewall Monument

Move sparks outrage from LGBTQ+ advocates who call the flag an 'American symbol'

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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The Trump administration has quietly removed the rainbow flag that had been permanently flying at the Stonewall National Monument in New York City's Greenwich Village since 2022. The National Park Service cited a directive that only allows the American flag and other authorized flags to fly on federal poles, with 'limited exceptions.' The move has sparked outrage from LGBTQ+ rights supporters who argue the rainbow flag is a historical symbol, not a political one.

Why it matters

The Stonewall Inn and surrounding Christopher Park are the site of the 1969 Stonewall Riots, which sparked the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. The permanent display of the rainbow flag at the national monument was seen as an important recognition of this history. The removal of the flag is viewed by many as an attempt to erase or downplay the significance of LGBTQ+ rights and the Stonewall Riots.

The details

The National Park Service quietly removed the rainbow flag from a pole in Christopher Park in front of the Stonewall Inn on Monday. The agency cited a directive from the US Department of the Interior that only allows the American flag and other authorized flags to fly on federal poles, with limited exceptions. LGBTQ+ advocates have condemned the move, calling it 'disgusting' and 'outrageous.' They argue the rainbow flag is an 'American symbol,' not a political one.

  • The rainbow flag had been permanently flying at the site since 2022.
  • The flag was removed on Monday, February 10, 2026.

The players

Stonewall National Monument

A national monument in New York City's Greenwich Village that commemorates the 1969 Stonewall Riots, which sparked the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.

Trump Administration

The administration of former US President Donald Trump, which directed the removal of the rainbow flag from the Stonewall National Monument.

National Park Service

The federal agency that manages national parks and monuments, including the Stonewall National Monument, and carried out the removal of the rainbow flag.

Allen Roskoff

The 75-year-old founder of the Jim Owles LGBT Liberal Democratic Club, who came out at age 19 shortly after the Stonewall Riots.

Daniel Mercurio

A 58-year-old West Village resident who argued the rainbow flag is an 'American symbol,' not a political one.

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What they’re saying

“It's disgusting. It's outrageous,”

— Allen Roskoff, Founder, Jim Owles LGBT Liberal Democratic Club

“The flag isn't a political symbol, it's an American symbol.”

— Daniel Mercurio

“I can't stand seeing the government instituting some obscure flag rule as an excuse to enforce its xenophobic agenda,”

— Daniel Mercurio

“New York is the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, and no act of erasure will ever change, or silence, that history. Our city has a duty not just to honor this legacy, but to live up to it.”

— Zohran Mamdani, Mayor of New York City (Twitter)

“This decision sends a deeply troubling message, one that shows the world that we are willing to sanitize and erase our history and the very values that make America great.”

— Julie Menin, New York City Council Speaker

What’s next

Mayor Mamdani and City Council Speaker Menin have expressed their 'extreme concern' over the flag's removal and demanded its return in a letter to the National Park Service director.

The takeaway

The removal of the rainbow flag from the Stonewall National Monument is seen by many as an attempt to erase the historical significance of the LGBTQ+ rights movement and the Stonewall Riots. The flag is viewed as an important symbol that represents the values of inclusion and diversity that are central to the American identity.