A day after Newsmax reported that four U.S. embassies were denied requests to fly the rainbow gay pride flag after President Donald Trump issued a statement proclaiming Gay Pride Month, the U.S. State Department explained its position on what was fast becoming known in official Washington as the “flag flap.”
At a briefing for reporters on Monday, State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus was asked about why the flag that is a symbol of gay people everywhere was not being permitted to fly at embassies during Pride Month.
“Sure. I think Pride Month that we’re in right now is celebrated around the world by many State Department employees [and] by many embassies,” said Ortagus.
Regarding the flag, she explained that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo “has the position that – as it relates to the flagpole – that only the American flag should be flown there.”
But, she quickly added, Pompeo “as he said in his congressional testimony, respects the dignity of every individual. And I think all of you can do a simple, easy Google or Twitter search and see the pictures of members – embassies and members, ambassadors, people of the Foreign Service celebrating Pride throughout the world.”
The Obama administration permitted the flying of the rainbow flag alongside the Stars and Stripes throughout its eight years,
Ortagus was also asked why Pompeo did not issue his own statement marking Gay Pride Month or the International Day Against Transphobia and Homophobia last month.
“I think that as I said and the secretary said in his testimony, he respects the dignity of every individual and of every human life, and he remains committed to this effort around the world,” she replied.
Ortagus pointed out that last month, the State Department had “Magnitsky sanctions [sanctions targeted at a specific individual] on an individual who of course was persecuting people of the LGBT community.”
In explaining why the rainbow flag won’t be flying over embassies during the coming month, the State Department spokeswoman was asked whether its displays or that of other LGBTQ banners on embassy property were not in violation of any kind of edict or order.
“No,” she said.
Ortagus was then asked whether the secretary nor anybody else in the State Department has any issue with the LGBTQ flag if it is not on the flagpole that flies the American flag.
“That’s correct, sir,” she replied.
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
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