Stonewall National Monument to Continue Flying Pride Flag Amid Controversy

Mon Apr 13 2026 19:25:05 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Pride flag will remain at the Stonewall National Monument, a reversal by the Trump administration following backlash from LGBTQ+ advocates and a court agreement.

After previously removing the Pride flag, the Trump administration will now keep it on display at the Stonewall National Monument. This decision comes in response to a lawsuit by LGBTQ+ activists, and the flag will be flown alongside the U.S. and Park Service flags. The monument, created to honor LGBTQ+ history, became a symbol of the struggle for visibility and rights following the Stonewall uprising in 1969.

NEW YORK (AP) — The Trump administration agreed Monday to continue flying a rainbow Pride flag at the Stonewall National Monument, reversing its previous decision to remove it in February.

This announcement comes as part of a settlement to a lawsuit brought by LGBTQ+ and historic preservation groups, which sought to block the flag’s removal. Approval from a judge is still pending.

The Interior Department and National Park Service confirmed they intend to maintain the Pride flag, which will be flown between the U.S. flag and the Park Service flag except for maintenance or practical purposes.

Within a week, the Park Service is set to display three flags at the Stonewall monument flagpole, each measuring three feet by five feet.

The Pride flag's presence has been a topic of contention regarding the Trump administration's approach to the Stonewall site, which is the first national monument commemorating LGBTQ+ history.

Following a year-long campaign by activists who wanted the flag to fly regularly at the monument, the Pride flag was formally installed in 2022 under the administration of Democratic President Joe Biden.

In February, however, the flag was removed, aligning with federal guidelines that limit flag displays to the U.S., Department of the Interior, and POW/MIA flags, unless historical context is provided.

Park Service officials in New York previously described the flag-raising as a demonstration of the government’s commitment to showcasing the diverse histories of all Americans.

Despite the agency's insistence on preserving the site's history and significance, LGBTQ+ activists viewed the flag's removal as a deliberate attempt to diminish their struggle for rights and representation.

Political ramifications escalated as advocates and Democratic officials appeared with a rainbow flag soon after, leading to a confrontation that saw the flag eventually raised alongside the U.S. flag.

President Obama established the Stonewall monument in 2016, which centers on a small park across from the Stonewall Inn—a gay bar where a 1969 police raid triggered an uprising that ignited the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.

After Trump's recent return to office, he initiated efforts targeting diversity and inclusion initiatives, which included removing or altering references to transgender people from the monument’s website and materials.

Similar shifts have been observed within national parks and museums, which underwent scrutiny to eliminate content perceived as “divisive or partisan.”