Presidential Message on National Pledge of Allegiance Day

Today, our Nation proudly celebrates the Pledge of Allegiance-a solemn and glorious oath that unites every citizen under one God and our beloved banner of red, white, and blue. This National Pledge of Allegiance Day, I encourage every American to rededicate themselves to our Flag, our heritage, and the eternal principles that have guided our Republic for nearly 250 years.

The Pledge of Allegiance has been a foundation of American life since it was first written in 1892. Its words gave our growing Nation a shared expression of duty-reminding students, civic leaders, and new Americans that they were active participants in the American story. By reciting it aloud, citizens declare their loyalty to our Flag and to the values it embodies: freedom, the rule of law, the dignity of life, and the duty to serve our country and our communities.

Through the trials of war and economic upheaval, the Pledge has been a steady reminder of the commitments every citizen makes. Its words have inspired soldiers defending freedom abroad, motivated Americans to safeguard our constitutional way of life here at home, and strengthened the bonds of patriotism that unite communities all across our land. Every generation recites the Pledge grounded in the recognition that to honor the Flag is to honor the Nation for which it stands.

Today, my Administration is strongly defending the value of American citizenship and respect for the American Flag. Last summer, I signed an Executive Order to preserve the dignity of our Stars and Stripes, including by vigorously enforcing accountability for acts of Flag desecration tied to violence and lawlessness-because those who hate our Flag resent the history, heritage, and heroes it represents even more. We are also authorizing the revocation of visas, residency, and naturalization for foreign nationals who desecrate the banner under which millions of American heroes have fought and died. We will never again allow those who hate our country to openly disrespect our Flag-and we will never waver in defending the sacred heritage that unites the American people beneath its banner.

On this National Pledge of Allegiance Day, we renew our devotion to the ideals that define the United States and to the Flag that symbolizes our shared destiny: one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.