Burning the American Flag: A Complicated Issue

Publication Date: 09/23/2025 7:00 AM CST

Burning the American Flag: A Complicated Issue

Publication: 09/23/2025 7:00 AM CST

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Sixty-one percent (61%) of American voters mistakenly believe it is illegal to burn an American flag.
- Thirty percent (30%) know it is not.
Nearly the same number (59%) say they at least somewhat support President Trump's recent executive order aimed at prosecuting the burning of the flag.
- Just 34% oppose the order.
However, when informed that the Supreme Court has already ruled flag burning a protected form of free speech, a plurality (49%) support that ruling.
- Democrats support it by a 68% to 27% margin, while Republicans oppose it by a 62% to 32% margin.
While the issue remains complicated, just 41% of voters say the executive order is a legitimate response to problematic behavior.
- More voters (51%) consider the order to be mostly political theater ahead of next year's elections.

The most recent data cited is from a Napolitan News Service survey of 1,000 Registered Voters conducted online by Scott Rasmussen September 16-17, 2025. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. and has a margin of error of +/- 3.1.