Trump calls for Congress to take action against ‘lowlifes’ who burn American flag

President Trump late Tuesday called for Congress to take action against “lowlifes” who burn the American flag, seeking to put fresh pressure on lawmakers to pursue potential legislation.

“It is ashame [sic] that Congress doesn’t do something about the lowlifes that burn the American Flag. It should be stopped, and now!” Trump tweeted.

It is ashame that Congress doesn’t do something about the lowlifes that burn the American Flag. It should be stopped, and now!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 24, 2020

The president made a similar pitch during a campaign rally in Tulsa, Okla., over the weekend, suggesting a minimum sentence of 1 year in prison for anyone who burns an American flag.

“We ought to come up with legislation that if you burn the American flag you go to jail for one year,” Trump said, pointing to Oklahoma GOP Sens. Jim Inhofe and James Lankford, who were in the crowd.

“We oughta do it. We talk about freedom of speech… but that’s desecration.”

Trump has urged repercussions for flag burning on numerous occasions in the past, including shortly after winning election in 2016. At the time, Trump proposed a year in jail or loss of citizenship as a punishment for burning a flag.

A decades-old Supreme Court ruling found that burning a flag is a protected form of free speech under the First Amendment, but Trump has continued to float the possibility of punishing those who burn the symbol.