Trump Admin Caves to Slew of LGBT Lawsuits, Reinstalls ‘Pride’ Symbol at National Monument

Trump administration officials agreed on Monday to allow the “pride” flag at the Stonewall National Monument in New York City to fly once more.

The change comes after the Trump administration had removed the flag earlier this year, a move which immediately sparked legal challenges from LGBT activist groups.

The Department of the Interior had directed the National Park Service to remove the controversial flag, contending that non-agency flags could not be officially flown, according to a report from CBS News.

But the policy provoked a lawsuit against Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, the National Park Service, and other defendants.

The Trump administration has agreed to keep flying a rainbow Pride flag at the Stonewall National Monument in New York. -AP pic.twitter.com/OWP9wGuV17

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) April 13, 2026

Alexander Kristofcak, an attorney who represented the plaintiffs, said in a statement that “the whole reason why the flag belongs at Stonewall is because it is such a big part of the history of the LGBTQ community and the struggle for equality.”

“Stonewall itself is obviously such a part of that history and all along what we asserted was that the flag itself was a representation of that history,” the lawyer added.

The Stonewall Inn, located in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City, saw violent riots from homosexual and transgender activists in 1969.

The site is widely regarded as the birthplace of the modern LGBT movement — which has dramatically reshaped the American legal system and cultural norms concerning marriage and family in the decades since the incident.

New York City Democratic Mayor Zohran Mamdani lauded the settlement on social media.

“This is a victory for the LGBTQ+ community and for our entire city. It’s a reminder that New Yorkers won’t let our history be rewritten,” he said.

“Our administration will keep working to ensure LGBTQ+ New Yorkers can live safely and with dignity in our city.”

This is a victory for the LGBTQ+ community and for our entire city. It’s a reminder that New Yorkers won’t let our history be rewritten.

Our administration will keep working to ensure LGBTQ+ New Yorkers can live safely and with dignity in our city. https://t.co/KKfZQtXvum

— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) April 13, 2026

Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal also rejoiced over the restoration of the “pride” flag.

“We as an LGBTQ community celebrate the legal climb-down by the gutless Trump Administration on their contemptuous attempt to erase queer people from American history at Stonewall, the birthplace of the worldwide LGBTQ human rights movement,” the official wrote, according to a report from Courthouse News.

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