By Rabia Iclal Turan
WASHINGTON (AA) - The US State Department has implemented a "One Flag Policy" under the Trump administration mandating that only the American flag can be displayed at its outposts, a report said Wednesday.
According to The Washington Free Beacon, which said it obtained a copy of the policy order issued by newly confirmed Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the directive prohibits US facilities at home and abroad from flying other flags, including those representing gay pride or Black Lives Matter.
The policy permits exceptions for the Prisoner of War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA) flag, which honors missing war veterans, and the Wrongful Detainees flag, the report added.
“The U.S. flag is a powerful symbol of pride, and it is fitting and respectful that only the U.S. flag be flown or displayed at U.S. facilities, both domestically and abroad,” the order states, according to the report.
The State Department did not immediately respond to a request from Anadolu for comment.
The newly implemented policy aligns with President Donald Trump’s pledge to end what he calls "wokeness."
On Jan. 20, Trump signed the “America First Policy Directive to the Secretary of State,” an executive order aimed at ensuring that US foreign policy prioritizes core American interests and places America and its citizens first.