Trump admin rips Mamdani, local Dems as activists override gov't move at NYC monument: 'Focused on theatrics'

14 Feb 2026 By foxnews

A battle between elected Democrat officials and the Trump administration is developing in New York City involving a Pride flag being flown at a government monument outside the historic Stonewall Inn.

Earlier this week, the Trump administration removed a Pride flag from the national monument outside the Stonewall Inn, the site of a clash between police and patrons of a gay bar seen by many as the start of the gay rights movement in the 1960s, in a move it says is in accordance with decades-old federal code.

The administration says that only the American flag, Department of the Interior flag, or POW flags are permitted to fly on national monuments rather than political flags, and Pride flags have continued to be displayed around the monument at the Stonewall Inn itself, located nearby.

The move sparked outrage from activists and Democrat leaders in New York City, including the city's socialist mayor, Zohran Mamdani, who posted on X that he was "outraged" and "our city has a duty not just to honor this legacy, but to live up to it."

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On Thursday, hundreds of protesters watched as local officials re-raised the Pride flag at the national monument, Fox 5 New York reported, prompting a scathing response from the Department of the Interior, which manages the country's national parks.

"Instead of addressing the basic needs of their constituents, city leaders seem more focused on theatrics than solutions," a Department of Interior spokesperson told Fox News Digital. "Residents are left wondering why their elected officials are prioritizing headlines over heating. Every day that these issues go unresolved is another day families are forced to live with the consequences of mismanagement and neglect."

"Hundreds of families in New York City went without power during this year's severe cold weather, people are being found dead on the streets, and trash has piled up so high it towers over city residents. This is Mayor Mamdani and city officials' New York City. While today's political stunt is a distraction from their recent deadly failures, it would be a better use of their time to get the trash buildup off city streets, ensure there are no more avoidable deaths, and work to keep the power on for the people of New York City."

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Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani's office for comment.

The Department of the Interior maintains that recent adjustments to flag displays at the monument are part of "longstanding federal flag policy" and to ensure "consistency with federal guidance."

"Stonewall National Monument remains committed to preserving and interpreting the history and significance of this site through its exhibits, programs, and educational initiatives."

A source familiar with the situation tells Fox News Digital that an American flag was previously not displayed at the monument and park officials had to purchase one in order to be compliant with the U.S. Code.

The source explained that this issue is not specifically targeted at the Stonewall Monument but rather part of broader concerns about the politicization of national monuments carried out by what are known as "Resistance Rangers," employees who are openly working against the Trump administration from the inside.

A report from Outside Magazine last fall highlighted an upside-down American flag being displayed on Yosemite National Park's famed El Capitan cliff and similar incidents at other national parks as part of a campaign by fired National Park Service employees, activists, and the group of anonymous employees within the National Park Service calling themselves the "Resistance Rangers."

President Barack Obama established the Stonewall National Monument on June 24, 2016, designating the area around the Stonewall Inn in New York City as a protected historic site. The move marked the first time a U.S. national monument was dedicated to LGBTQ history.