Trump Supporters, Protesters Adopt Upside-Down Flag

Following former President Donald Trump’s 34-count felony conviction this week, right-wing supporters have adopted the upside-down American flag, a traditional distress signal, as a symbol of their dissatisfaction and protest. This flag, historically a sign of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property, has seen renewed use across political movements in recent years. Notably, the upside-down flag has appeared in the hands of both Jan. 6 rioters and Black Lives Matter protesters, symbolizing a broad spectrum of grievances against perceived governmental failures.

The prevalence of the upside-down flag has surged in the wake of Trump’s conviction. Prominent figures in the Trump circle, including his son Donald Trump Jr., daughter-in-law and Republican National Committee co-chair Lara Trump, and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), have shared images of the distress symbol on social media. This display underscores a unifying sentiment among Trump’s supporters, who view the conviction as an unjust attack on their political leader and a broader sign of governmental corruption and dysfunction.

The use of the upside-down flag is not new to American political protests but has gained heightened visibility and significance in the past decade. Following the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riots, reports emerged that Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s home was adorned with the controversial symbol. This revelation linked Alito, a conservative justice appointed by former President George W. Bush, to the broader right-wing protest movement, raising questions about his impartiality in related cases.

A detailed investigation by the New York Times last month brought to light that Alito flew the upside-down flag outside his Alexandria, Virginia, residence in 2021, just over a week after the Capitol riots. This act provoked increasing demands from Democratic lawmakers and activists for his recusal from pending Jan. 6-related cases, citing potential bias. Additionally, a follow-up report revealed that Alito displayed another provocative flag at his New Jersey home in 2021—the Revolutionary War-era “Appeal To Heaven” symbol, which has been co-opted by evangelical conservative groups. This further intensified calls for his recusal, as the flag is associated with far-right political ideologies.

In response to the controversy, Alito addressed a letter to Congress on Wednesday, clarifying his involvement with the flags. Alito asserted that his wife, Martha-Ann Bomgardner, had flown the flags without his knowledge or consent. He claimed that he only became aware of the flags’ presence after it was brought to his attention, at which point he requested his wife to remove them. Alito emphasized his lack of involvement in the matter and argued against the necessity of recusal, insisting that the flags’ display did not influence his judicial duties or decisions.