Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) has introduced a bill that would prohibit the display of foreign flags on US Capitol grounds after Democratic lawmakers prominently displayed Ukrainian banners during President Donald Trump’s speech. The move, he says, is meant to reinforce the idea that members of Congress should prioritize American citizens over foreign interests.
The “Allegiance Act” would bar government funds from being used to purchase foreign flags and restrict them from being flown in the halls of Congress. Moreno, who became a US citizen after immigrating from Colombia, said he was frustrated to see lawmakers waving the flags of other nations instead of standing behind the American flag.
I think it’s high time we start picking the pockets of all the members of government that got kickbacks from Ukraine, let’s roll the tape of them all waving their Ukrainian flags on the house floor. We could start there. And let’s be reminded that Thomas Massie got fined for… pic.twitter.com/2UpEpCBTGD
— schmoo (@schmooze1777) January 22, 2025
“We took an oath to serve Americans, not foreign governments,” Moreno stated. “If some in Congress want to fly another country’s flag, maybe they should rethink who they’re really working for.”
Moreno’s move to outlaw foreign flags follows a dramatic confrontation between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was removed from the White House after berating Trump and Vice President JD Vance. That meeting resulted in a freeze on US military aid to Ukraine, along with the suspension of intelligence-sharing between Washington and Kyiv.
Remember your representatives waving Ukrainian flags in Congress when Russia retaliates for US missile strikes that killed Russian kids on a beach in Crimea today. Joe Biden is provoking nuclear war with Russia. Are you ready to die for this demented fool? pic.twitter.com/5iLmOZZZWw
— Kim Dotcom (@KimDotcom) June 23, 2024
Before Trump’s address, Moreno distributed American flags to fellow Republicans in a direct response to the Ukrainian flags displayed by Democrats. His action sent a clear message that Congress should represent the American people, not foreign nations.
Moreno’s proposal is expected to gain traction among conservative lawmakers who have been pushing back against continued foreign aid and advocating for a renewed focus on domestic issues.
