By The American flag, once a unifying symbol, now subtly echoes Donald Trump and his supporters for a large portion of the country.
Since former President Donald Trump’s 2016 debut, his supporters kept the infamous “Make America Great Again” slogan relevant through his merchandise. However, his apparel association extends beyond red hats and “Blue Lives Matter” flags.
I realized that I had covertly come to associate the American flag with Trump a couple of days ago when I was scrolling through TikTok.
The Daily Mail posted a video interviewing people dressed in American flag apparel and when asked to choose between Vice President Kamala Harris and Trump, I instantly assumed they would support Trump based on their clothing.
Realizing I was wrong, I checked the comments and noticed that I was not alone in my assumptions.
My surmise likely stemmed from seeing Trump supporters often draped in the American flag.
Political science professor Matt Lesenyie said in an email, “Wrapping yourself in the flag is an effective rhetorical tool because it defends the political actor or party from certain criticisms.”
The American flag is supposed to represent all Americans, so it’s puzzling why I and others currently associate it solely with Trump.
I believe the American flag represents everyone who ever lived, contributed, worked and dreamed in this country, regardless of their political affiliation.
Patriotism, like beauty, can be a matter of first impressions. Looking within can change perspectives.
While Trump supporters often wear the American flag or display “MAGA” flags on their vehicles, others believe the flag represents different values, leaving the star-spangled image as simply that.
“I think fans of Trump are more likely to associate him and his cause as intertwined with the flag. I think critics of Trump and his policies see a disconnect between Trump and the flag [with] Jan. 6 being the most punctuated demonstration of that disconnect,” Lesenyie said.
“For some, the association has never existed, for others it will go on forever,” he said.
Donald Trump merch, which is often covered in red, white and or blue, fills the Beachin at Seal Beach shop. They have American flags as well as the “Make America Great Again” hats. Photo credit: Lizbeth Cortes-Gutierrez
Trump’s supporters embracing patriotism is nothing new. Whether wearing the flag is a campaign strategy or a coincidence of patriotic enthusiasts, associations like this one have had historically negative consequences.
“For instance, the drug war in the Philippines has huge substantive problems. They killed a number of people to questionable effect but part of the defense of this intellectually strained policy was that it was “for” the Nation,” Lesenyie said.
Another example he mentioned is how, during the Iraq war, the flag was strongly associated with former President George W. Bush and the Republican Party.
“Criticisms of the war became criticisms of the Flag,” Lesenyie said.
Regarding current events, “Trump made the same dichotomy vs Colin Kaepernick,” he said. “He and his supporters have curiously made a similar association even despite their attacks against American institutions like Congress, the criminal courts, war heroes, police, etc.”
Despite negative links to patriotic associations it’s imperative to remember the possibility of positive outcomes as well.
Lesenyie said, “Patriotism can help through strife like COVID. The U.S. missed an opportunity to come together around a shared threat, patriotism could have been an effective symbolic motivator.”
