An American flight was spotted lying on the White House South Lawn, which is usually deemed to be a sign of dire distress.
The Stars and Stripes got blown down when the President’s Marine One came into land late at night. As a result, it got blown down from the newly installed flagpole by the rotor wash, which is the terminology referring to the rush of air produced by helicopter blades.
The President was seen walking right in front of the downed flag while returning from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
As per the US Flag Code, which is a federal law, there are certain guidelines that provide etiquette on how to display and respect the flag. This includes how the flag must never be on display with the union down, other than as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property, as per the law.
This flag shouldn’t ever touch anything that’s present below it, like the ground, sources shared. And in those cases when the flag may touch the ground occasionally, tradition explains how it needs to be disposed of or retired.
The use of the upside-down flag as a symbol of distress dates back to the time when naval warfare traditions predated America’s existence. It’s also used as a form of protest, like during the Civil War, to express massive suffering and division.