The Trump administration announced on Monday that it will reinstate the display of a rainbow Pride flag on a federal flagpole at the Stonewall National Monument in New York City. This decision comes after the flag was removed in February but will now remain following a settlement agreement in a lawsuit filed by LGBTQ+ and historic preservation groups. The Interior Department and National Park Service have agreed to maintain the Pride flag at Stonewall, with the flag only being taken down for maintenance purposes.
As part of the settlement, the park service will hang three flags on the monument’s flagpole within a week. The Pride flag will be positioned below the U.S. flag and above the park service flag, all measuring nine meters by 1.5 meters. The Stonewall site also features a large Pride banner on a city-controlled flagpole and small rainbow flags surrounding the monument.
Manhattan Borough president Brad Hoylman-Sigal, a Democrat, expressed satisfaction with the decision, stating, “We fought the Trump administration and won.” The Gilbert Baker Foundation, which honors the creator of the Pride flag, also welcomed the resolution, emphasizing the significance of the Rainbow Flag at Stonewall.
The display of the Pride flag had sparked debates over President Trump’s handling of the Stonewall site, the first national monument commemorating LGBTQ+ history. The flag was initially installed during President Biden’s term in 2022 to symbolize the government’s commitment to representing diverse American histories. The flag’s removal in February due to federal flag display guidelines was met with opposition from LGBTQ+ activists who viewed it as an attempt to diminish the site’s importance.
Former President Obama established the Stonewall monument in 2016, recognizing its historical significance in the LGBTQ+ rights movement. Following Trump’s return to office last year, diversity and inclusion initiatives were scaled back, impacting references to transgender individuals at the monument. Trump’s administration had scrutinized materials at national parks and landmarks, aiming to eliminate content deemed divisive or partisan.