In Alarming Tweet, Trump Suggests 'Loss Of Citizenship Or Year In Jail' For Flag Burners
- 7 years ago
Donald Trump posted a series of tweets early Tuesday morning, including one pertaining to American flag burning.
Donald Trump posted a series of tweets early Tuesday morning, including one pertaining to American flag burning.
His tweet noted, "Nobody should be allowed to burn the American flag - if they do, there must be consequences - perhaps loss of citizenship or year in jail!"
Numerous reactions followed with one Twitter user commenting, "Are you trolling us? As President, you will be required to uphold the U.S. Constitution, including the First Amendment."
Another said, "Flag burning is totally constitutional — it's been settled law for more than a quarter century."
Trump didn't specify what prompted him to address the flag burning issue. According to CNBC, "Currently, burning the flag is protected as freedom of speech under the 1st Amendment of the Constitution, and the Supreme Court ruled in 1989 that the act is a form of 'symbolic speech.'"
One commenter pointed out, "@realDonaldTrump Justice Scalia, whose seat you want to fill on the Supreme Court, disagrees with you big time."
In a 2012 CNN interview, Justice Antonin Scalia had noted, "If I were king, I would not allow people to go about burning the American flag. However, we have a First Amendment which says that the right of free speech shall not be abridged. And it is addressed in particular to speech critical of the government."
Donald Trump posted a series of tweets early Tuesday morning, including one pertaining to American flag burning.
His tweet noted, "Nobody should be allowed to burn the American flag - if they do, there must be consequences - perhaps loss of citizenship or year in jail!"
Numerous reactions followed with one Twitter user commenting, "Are you trolling us? As President, you will be required to uphold the U.S. Constitution, including the First Amendment."
Another said, "Flag burning is totally constitutional — it's been settled law for more than a quarter century."
Trump didn't specify what prompted him to address the flag burning issue. According to CNBC, "Currently, burning the flag is protected as freedom of speech under the 1st Amendment of the Constitution, and the Supreme Court ruled in 1989 that the act is a form of 'symbolic speech.'"
One commenter pointed out, "@realDonaldTrump Justice Scalia, whose seat you want to fill on the Supreme Court, disagrees with you big time."
In a 2012 CNN interview, Justice Antonin Scalia had noted, "If I were king, I would not allow people to go about burning the American flag. However, we have a First Amendment which says that the right of free speech shall not be abridged. And it is addressed in particular to speech critical of the government."