Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announced plans to introduce federal legislation that would give the Pride flag the same status as flags officially recognized by Congress, including the U.S. flag and military flags. The move comes after the Trump administration ordered the removal of the Pride flag from the Stonewall National Monument in New York City earlier this month, sparking widespread criticism from local and national leaders. Schumer described the site as “sacred ground” and emphasized that the legislation is aimed at ensuring the Pride flag and the history it represents cannot be taken down in the future.
The Stonewall Inn is sacred ground.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) February 15, 2026
Last week, Donald Trump attacked not just the LGBTQ community, but all of us who care about pride and equality in NYC when he ordered the removal of the pride flag from the Stonewall National Monument.
Today, I was proud to stand with… pic.twitter.com/SYgG304CFh
Schumer’s proposed legislation would make the Pride flag a congressionally authorized symbol, granting it protections similar to those afforded to U.S. flags, military flags, POW/MIA flags, and other flags recognized by Congress. The legislation is intended to prevent federal authorities from removing the flag from public sites, including national monuments, parks, and other government properties. “Stonewall is sacred ground and Congress must act now to permanently protect the Pride flag and what it stands for,” Schumer said. “Trump’s hateful crusade must end.”
The legislative effort follows a directive from the Department of the Interior that removed “non-agency” flags from National Park Service properties, including the Pride flag atop the Stonewall National Monument. While certain exceptions were allowed for historical and federally recognized flags, the Pride flag was not included under these protections.
New York City officials responded strongly to the removal. Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned the action as an attempt to erase an important chapter of the city’s history. “I am outraged by the removal of the Rainbow Pride Flag from Stonewall National Monument. New York is the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, and no act of erasure will ever change, or silence, that history,” Mamdani said. He pledged to continue advocating for the protection and visibility of the city’s LGBTQ+ community, emphasizing that honoring Stonewall’s legacy requires active effort beyond symbolism.
I am outraged by the removal of the Rainbow Pride Flag from Stonewall National Monument. New York is the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, and no act of erasure will ever change, or silence, that history.
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) February 10, 2026
Our city has a duty not just to honor this legacy, but to…
Schumer has a history of supporting LGBTQ+ rights and Pride initiatives, having previously advocated for protections and recognition of LGBTQ+ symbols and spaces. His latest legislation represents a formal effort to codify these protections into federal law, ensuring the Pride flag’s permanent recognition at Stonewall and other sites. By granting the Pride flag congressional authorization, the bill would make it unlawful for future administrations to remove the flag from national monuments without explicit legislative approval.
Schumer’s proposal is designed not only to protect the flag but also to safeguard the broader legacy of the LGBTQ+ rights movement at sites that hold historical and cultural significance. As the Pride flag was reinstalled atop the monument following public outcry, Schumer emphasized that the legislation is a preventative measure. “The very core of American identity is liberty and justice for all—and that is what this legislation would protect: each national park’s ability to make its own decision about what flag can be flown,” he said. The effort underscores a growing push among Democratic lawmakers to counter policies seen as undermining LGBTQ+ visibility and historical recognition.
By seeking to elevate the Pride flag to the same legal status as U.S. and military flags, Schumer’s legislation marks a significant moment in federal recognition of LGBTQ+ history, aiming to ensure that symbols of the community are permanently safeguarded against political interference.
