Why is the American flag lying on the ground at the White House? Image of Trump raises questions

An image showing an American flag lying flat on the White House lawn has been getting plenty of attention across social media, prompting everything from patriotic alarm to light mockery.

The photo, taken as President Donald Trump returned from a weekend at Mar-a-Lago on November 16, shows the flag on the ground behind him, a detail many online users seized upon before anyone in government weighed in.

Flag etiquette and online theories

According to the U.S. flag code, the flag should never touch the ground, a rule that has been cited endlessly since the image went viral. Trump recently added two nearly 100 foot flagpoles to the White House grounds, part of his ongoing remodeling spree that has included a revamped Rose Garden and even a new ballroom... all while many Americans struggle to get from paycheck to paycheck.

That context only added fuel to online speculation about whether something went wrong with the new setup or whether the flag had been down for a while.

The White House has not commented, yet, and conflicting social media posts have only deepened the mystery. For now, the fallen flag remains an unanswered moment captured, some say, at exactly the right time, given the dark, Epstein-shaped shadow over Trump.

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