After the historic guilty verdict of Donald Trump, there has been a continuous stream of images circulating on social media, depicting upside-down American flags. These images serve as a form of protest from his supporters and right-wing commentators in response to his felony conviction.
Images of inverted flags have been shared online by Republican National Committee co-chair Lara Trump, Donald Trump Jr., and Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a longtime ally. One such flag was also spotted outside Trump Tower in New York City while the Republican former president spoke about the trial.
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The American flag flying upside-down has garnered significant attention following reports that it was displayed outside the residence of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito in Alexandria, Virginia. This incident occurred in the aftermath of the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol by supporters of former President Trump, who were attempting to disrupt the certification of the 2020 presidential election results. These individuals carried a flag resembling the one flown by the rioters, as they echoed Trump’s baseless allegations of election fraud.
Right-wing pundits and podcast hosts, along with everyday Americans, quickly rallied around the inverted flag following Trump’s conviction of 34 felony counts in his New York hush money trial on Thursday. Among those showing support were Fox News Channel contributors Guy Benson and Katie Pavlich, conservative talk show hosts Graham Allen and Owen Shroyer, and far-right conspiracy theorist and “Stop the Steal” rally organizer Ali Alexander.
The conservative think tank, the Heritage Foundation, recently shared a picture on its social media account that depicted an American flag flying upside down alongside a flag bearing the organization’s logo. The Heritage Foundation is known for its role in developing the GOP’s Project 2025 playbook, which outlines strategies for reshaping the federal government in the event of a Republican victory in the 2024 presidential election.
Social media was ablaze with inflammatory rhetoric, with some individuals describing the verdict as a declaration of “war” or an indication of an impending “civil war.” In fact, the phrase “RIP America” trended on X (formerly known as Twitter) right after the verdict was announced.
Many people have been using rhetoric that discusses the potential downfall or decline of America, often drawing comparisons to the fall of Rome. Elon Musk, the owner of X, even made a reference to the civil war that preceded the collapse of the Roman Empire in a post on the social media platform. Similarly, former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy released a video statement on X where he also invoked the fall of the Roman Empire.
The upside-down flag, historically used as a distress signal by sailors, has now been adopted as a symbol for the “Stop the Steal” movement. This movement falsely alleges that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Trump in favor of Democrat Joe Biden. However, numerous courts and even Trump’s own attorney general have found no evidence of widespread fraud that could have impacted the election results. Furthermore, the Department of Homeland Security’s cybersecurity arm has declared that the election was the most secure in American history.
The U.S. flag code, although not legally enforceable, states that flags should not be inverted except in cases of “dire distress.” However, the symbol has been employed as a means of protest for many years.
During the Vietnam War, individuals protesting against the government’s actions made use of the inverted flag as a symbol of their discontent. In 1974, the Supreme Court made a significant decision by affirming the right to display a flag upside down. This ruling came about after a university student was charged with violating state law for hanging a flag upside down, along with peace symbols attached to it, as a form of protest against the tragic deaths of four anti-Vietnam War demonstrators.
After the symbol was seen outside Alito’s home, the justice explained that his wife had hung the flag as a result of a disagreement with their neighbors.
According to The New York Times, Alito’s beach vacation home in New Jersey proudly displayed the “Appeal to Heaven” flag.
