Trump Administration Rejecting Requests To Fly Pride Flags At US Embassies

NBC News reports that the Trump administration is rejecting requests from U.S. embassies to fly the rainbow pride flag on embassy flagpoles during LGBTQ Pride Month.

The U.S. embassies in Israel, Germany, Brazil and Latvia are among those that have requested permission from Trump's State Department to fly the pride flag on their flagpoles and have been denied, diplomats said.

Although the pride flag can and is being flown elsewhere on embassy grounds, including inside embassies and on exterior walls, the decision not to allow it on the official flagpole stands in contrast to President Donald Trump's claim to be a leader in supporting LGBTQ rights overseas.

Trump's administration has announced a campaign to decriminalize homosexuality overseas and this month issued a tweet and formal statement to "celebrate LGBT Pride Month and recognize the outstanding contributions LGBT people have made."

The denials to U.S. embassies have come from the office of the State Department's undersecretary for management, Brian Bulatao, a longtime associate of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who also worked for him at the CIA. Under State Department policy, embassies that want to fly the flag on their flagpoles are expected to obtain permission from Washington.

There's irony in that one of the embassies being told 'no' is in Germany. Donald Trump's Ambassador to Germany, openly gay Richard Grenell, is supposedly leading the international campaign to end the criminalization of homosexuality around the world.

The Obama administration had no problem allowing pride flags to be flown during Pride Month.