Democrats Face Backlash For Waving Ukrainian Flags On House Floor, Republican Proposes Ban

A video showing Democratic lawmakers waving Ukrainian flags on the House floor shortly after passing a $61 billion aid package for Ukraine has sparked outrage among some Republican representatives. In response, Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL) announced plans to introduce legislation that would prohibit the display of foreign nations’ flags in the House chamber.

“Watching American representatives pass out & wave Ukrainian flags in the United States House of Representatives chamber infuriated me,” Cammack said on X formerly known as Twitter. “As we speak my team is drafting legislation that will prohibit the display of foreign nations’ flags on the House floor.”

Other Republican lawmakers including Reps. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and Eric Burlison (R-MO) also criticized Democrats for waving Ukrainian flags. Luna wrote on X: “Put those damn flags away. It is a disgrace to display any other flag than the American flag in the House Chamber!”

Burlison echoed this sentiment, stating, “Democrats waiving Ukrainian flags on the House floor tells you everything you need to know about their priorities.”

The incident occurred shortly after the House passed the aid package for Ukraine. While most members waved small handheld flags some waved full-sized Ukrainian flags during the vote.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) who supported the aid package denounced the flag-waving as a violation of decorum. “These are not normal times here in the House or around the world as we all know,” Johnson told reporters following the vote. “And we saw a disturbance here on the House floor just a bit ago. I just want to say simply what I think most people around the country understand and agree we should only wave one flag on the House floor. And I think we know which flag that is.”

The backlash against the flag-waving comes amid growing criticism from conservatives over U.S. support for Ukraine. Rep. Gerald Connolly (D-VA) recently drew ire for declaring that Ukraine’s border with Russia is actually the border of the U.S. “Some say we have to deal with our border first. The Ukrainian-Russian border is our border!” Connolly said. “It’s the border between depraved autocracy and freedom-loving people seeking our democratic way of life. Do you have a stake in the outcome? Yes. Undeniably yes.”

Conservatives and reasonable people of other political persuasions argue that lawmakers should prioritize securing the U.S. southern border over funding foreign conflicts. The Fairfax County Republican Party pointed out the discrepancy between Connolly’s concerns over Kyiv’s security and that of his own constituents, noting that he voted against securing the southern border with Mexico on the same day he supported the Ukraine aid package.

The Ukraine aid package was one of several bills passed by the House on April 19, 2024, including legislation to ban TikTok over the social media company’s ties to the Chinese Communist Party.

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