The Trump administration has agreed to allow the LGBTQ+ Rainbow Pride flag to continue flying at the Stonewall National Monument, marking a significant reversal after months of controversy and legal challenges.
The decision follows a settlement with LGBTQ+ advocacy and historic preservation groups after the flag was removed in February under federal guidance restricting which flags could be displayed on government property. The removal sparked widespread backlash, with activists arguing the move erased a key symbol tied to the site’s legacy as the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.
Under the agreement, the Pride flag will be displayed alongside the American flag and the National Park Service flag on the monument’s official flagpole, and will only be removed for maintenance or practical reasons. As of this writing, the flag, which was originally taken down in February and re-raised days later by supportive New Yorkers continues to fly. A judge still has to approve the order to make it official policy.
In a statement, Lambda Legal attorney Karen Loewy said the earlier removal was “another act…to erase the LGBTQ+ community,” adding that the government has now committed to restoring “this important symbol back to where it belongs.”
The Human Rights Campaign also praised the outcome. In a written response, the organization said the Pride flag “represents resilience and visibility,” calling its return “a powerful reminder that LGBTQ+ history cannot be erased, even in the face of political opposition.”
Local New York City advocates echoed that sentiment as well. “Stonewall is sacred ground for our community,” said New York-based activist Miguel Santiago. “Seeing the Pride flag fly again sends a message that our history and our lives matter.”
The Gilbert Baker Foundation, which helped support the legal challenge, described the resolution as a reaffirmation of the flag’s historic and cultural significance.
The monument commemorates the 1969 Stonewall uprising, a pivotal event in LGBTQ+ history. The Pride flag, first installed at the site in 2022, had become a powerful visual marker of that legacy.
While many advocates celebrated the decision, some noted that the controversy underscores ongoing tensions over LGBTQ+ representation in public spaces. Still, supporters say the outcome ensures that one of the movement’s most enduring symbols will remain visible at one of its most historic landmarks.
