{"id":2613619,"date":"2026-06-12T15:28:01","date_gmt":"2026-06-12T19:28:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/newsweek-aghast-at-ufc-girls-star-spangled-costumes-after-defending-right-to-burn-us-flag\/"},"modified":"2026-06-12T15:28:01","modified_gmt":"2026-06-12T19:28:01","slug":"newsweek-aghast-at-ufc-girls-star-spangled-costumes-after-defending-right-to-burn-us-flag","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/newsweek-aghast-at-ufc-girls-star-spangled-costumes-after-defending-right-to-burn-us-flag\/","title":{"rendered":"Newsweek Aghast At UFC Costumes After Defending Flag Burning"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fnewsweek-aghast-at-ufc-girls-star-spangled-costumes-after-defending-right-to-burn-us-flag%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2613619&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>It appears<strong> <\/strong>Newsweek has discovered the U.S. Flag Code!<\/p>\n<p>The outlet, intent on manufacturing a controversy, published a story about the patriotic outfits designed for the UFC\u2019s Octagon Girls ahead of the upcoming White House fight celebrating America\u2019s 250th birthday.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDo Ring Girls\u2019 Outfits for Trump UFC Fight Breach the Flag Code?\u201d Alice Gibbs <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/ring-girls-outfits-trumps-ufc-fight-revealed-flag-code-breach-12063530\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">wrote<\/a>. Gibbs amplified claims from unnamed \u201ccritics arguing the patriotic designs may clash with longstanding U.S. flag etiquette.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure>\n<p><span><\/p>\n<blockquote data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">UFC dropped the outfits the Octagon Girls will be wearing at the White House this weekend \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/nr4ODcD5JE\">pic.twitter.com\/nr4ODcD5JE<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Turning Point Action (@TPAction) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/TPAction\/status\/2064763962873495600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 10, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><\/span> <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>\u201cWhile organizers say the designs aim to blend \u2018sport, spectacle, and celebration,\u2019 the reveal has triggered criticism from some viewers who say the execution is overly flashy \u2014 or disrespectful.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Notably, Gibbs doesn\u2019t name a single \u201ccritic\u201d who supposedly found the outfits \u201cdisrespectful.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Nonetheless, in order to peddle the claim that such outfits are \u201cdisrespectful,\u201d Gibbs dedicated an entire section to \u201cWhat the US Flag Code Actually Says.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe code states that the flag \u2018should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding or drapery.\u2019 It also says no part of the flag \u2018should ever be used as a costume or athletic uniform,&#8217;\u201d Gibbs wrote, clearly trying to generate controversy over whether the patriotic outfits are a sign of disrespect toward the flag.<\/p>\n<p>Gibbs tried to hide the obvious hit job by being sure to note the flag code is \u201cnot legally enforceable for private citizens,\u201d and that the \u201copinion is split\u201d on the outfits. But she then segued into a general criticism of the UFC fight \u2014 revealing that her focus on the alleged flag code controversy was really just a vehicle to attack a Trump-backed event.<\/p>\n<p>The outlet\u2019s sudden interest in the U.S. Flag Code presents a stark contrast<strong> <\/strong>to how Newsweek previously covered <em>actual<\/em> disrespect toward the flag.<\/p>\n<p>The same flag code Gibbs cited also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legion.org\/advocacy\/flag-advocacy\/flag-code\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">states<\/a> that \u201cno disrespect should be shown to the flag of the United States of America.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Setting the American flag on fire in protest is considerably more \u201cdisrespectful\u201d than wearing a sequined red, white, and blue outfit celebrating America\u2019s greatness. Yet amazingly, when Newsweek covered flag burning, its supposed interest in flag code was nowhere to be found.<\/p>\n<p>In a 2025 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/1600-free-speech-fight-over-our-flag-2120809\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">newsletter<\/a> by Newsweek defending flag burning, Isaac Saul acknowledged that many Americans find the practice offensive, while still suggesting it should be protected as \u201cfree speech.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen I see someone desecrating the flag, my emotional, knee-jerk reaction is that I would feel perfectly alright if that person gets punished for it,\u201d Saul wrote. \u201cBut whether you abhor flag burning or not is a separate question from whether or not it should be protected speech.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>The article then talked about the Supreme Court\u2019s highly questionable decision in <em>Texas v. Johnson<\/em>, which held flag burning is protected speech under the First Amendment.<\/p>\n<p>No mention of flag code or its prohibition against disrespecting the American flag was found in the piece. Instead, Saul argued the issue is \u201cabout maintaining a bright red line between how I\u2019m allowed to express my thoughts and the government\u2019s authority to restrict my liberty. Remember: the majoritarian instinct to squash the kinds of political expression you don\u2019t like will always come back around \u2014 especially when you attempt to codify it into law.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The angle was clear: Trump is a \u201cmajoritarian\u201d who wants to \u201csquash\u201d free speech. <\/p>\n<p>A year before that, Anezka Pichrtova <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/trump-backs-jail-burning-american-flags-1944742\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">headlined a piece<\/a>: \u201cDonald Trump Backs \u2018Unconstitutional\u2019 Punishment for Burning American Flags.\u201d Like Saul, Pichrtova emphasized the Supreme Court\u2019s decision in <em>Texas v. Johnson<\/em> while conveniently leaving out flag code and its prohibition on disrespect. <\/p>\n<p>While activists burn the American flag, Newsweek frames the story about constitutional rights and so-called protected expression. Yet when patriotic costumes appear at a Trump-involved event celebrating the founding, Newsweek is suddenly concerned about whether Trump is disrespecting and violating flag code. Apparently, flag code is only relevant when it can be used to cudgel Trump.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>   Brianna Lyman is an elections correspondent at The Federalist. Brianna graduated from Fordham University with a degree in International Political Economy. Her work has been featured on Newsmax, Fox News, Fox Business and RealClearPolitics. Follow Brianna on X: @briannalyman2<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It appears Newsweek has discovered the U.S. Flag Code! The outlet, intent on manufacturing a controversy, published a story about the patriotic outfits designed for the UFC\u2019s Octagon Girls ahead of the upcoming White House fight celebrating America\u2019s 250th birthday. \u201cDo Ring Girls\u2019 Outfits for Trump UFC Fight Breach the Flag Code?\u201d Alice Gibbs wrote.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":74,"featured_media":2613620,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4533114049_bcfcc0d23d_k-e1781285236681.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2613619","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4533114049_bcfcc0d23d_k-e1781285236681.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2613619","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/74"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2613619"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2613619\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2613620"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2613619"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2613619"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2613619"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}