Published 04:11 IST, July 20th 2020
Trump calls Confederate flag 'proud' symbol, outrages 'Black Lives Matter' supporters
Trump’s comments were noted in the backdrop of his views in 2017. when he condemned the idea of removing Confederate icons after massive protests erupted in US
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In a televised interview on July 19, US President Donald Trump called the Confederate flag a 'proud' symbol of the country's south and denied it of being offensive. In the interview, when asked if the flag -- which is considered a symbol of slavery and oppression by most US citizens -- was offensive, Trump outraged many by calling it a “source of pride”.
When further probed about his stance on the flag controversy, Trump said it depends on the 'context' one was talking about. Taking a defensive stance on Confederate icons, Trump claimed that people supporting the historical significance of the flag were not talking about racism and said that the flag represents the southern states.
Trump’s comments were noted in the backdrop of his views in 2017, when he condemned the idea of removing Confederate icons after massive protests erupted across the US, calling for the removal of Robert Lee's statue.
Mississippi removes Civil War emblem
Laying further objections on NASCAR’s decision to take down the flag, Donald Trump was quoted saying that the United States won the wars out of the military bases that had confederate symbols and flags.
Further, amid the conflict of views about the prominence of the flag, Mississippi’s Republican governor was reported to have signed the legislation for removal of all Civil War emblem from the state flags. His decision was prompted by the ongoing civil unrest and protests following George Floyd's death.
In a worded policy issued two days ago, the Pentagon said that it was banning the display of the Confederate flag on military installations, as per international media reports.
04:11 IST, July 20th 2020