JUNE 15, 2025 — Amid a military parade and public demonstrations, the United States observed Flag Day yesterday on June 14, according to reporting by the BBC.
The day marked the anniversary of the adoption of the national flag in 1777.
What is typically a subdued commemoration this year unfolded against a backdrop of mass protests and a presidential military parade.
Flag Day commemorates the Continental Congress’s 1777 resolution that the U.S. flag would consist of thirteen alternating red and white stripes and thirteen stars on a blue field, representing “a new constellation,” says PBS.
Though formally recognized by President Woodrow Wilson in 1916 and codified by Congress in 1949, the holiday is not widely celebrated across the country.
This year, the date was far from quiet. Across the United States, demonstrators took to the streets in coordinated protests under the banner “No Kings,” directly challenging President Donald Trump. The protests coincided with a rare military parade in Washington, D.C., staged by the president in celebration of the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary and his own birthday.
Rallies in cities including New York, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia featured speeches by lawmakers, union leaders, and activists. Many participants carried American flags and placards criticizing Trump’s immigration policies and use of military symbolism.
The White House, meanwhile, issued a Flag Day proclamation extolling the national banner as a symbol of “courage, unity, and the unwavering belief that nothing will ever stand in the way of our beloved homeland, heritage, history, and values.”
The statement linked the flag to key moments in U.S. history, from Washington’s crossing of the Delaware to the moon landing and the aftermath of the September 11 attacks.
“Old Glory,” it read, “has presided over every chapter of the American story.”
