Trending Now - DOJ Drops Charges Against Veteran for Flag Burning Near White House

WHO:

Jan Carey, a military veteran

President Trump, who signed the executive order

U.S. Attorney's office in Washington, D.C.

WHAT:

The Department of Justice (DOJ) moved to drop charges against Jan Carey for burning an American flag.

Carey was facing two misdemeanor criminal counts: one for lighting a fire "not in a designated area and receptacle," and another for lighting a fire "in a manner that threatened, caused damage to, and resulted in the burning of property, real property, and park resources."

Both charges were punishable by a fine or no more than six months in custody.

Carey pleaded not guilty and was challenging his indictment.

WHERE:

Outside the White House, Washington, D.C.

WHEN:

The DOJ moved to drop the charges on March 13th, 2026.

The flag burning incident occurred in 2025.

WHY:

Carey stated he was protesting President Trump's executive order, which directed the DOJ to investigate flag burning.

President Trump's executive order aimed to navigate around the Supreme Court ruling from 1989 that protected symbolic speech, including flag burning.

HOW:

Carey identified himself as a military veteran in a video captured by WUSA9, stating he "immediately thought I need to go burn a flag in front of the White House and let's put this to the test."

The executive order suggested that federal prosecutors should prioritize cases of flag burning that violate other "content-neutral laws" and indicated that charges could be brought if the act "is likely to incite imminent lawless action" or amounts to "fighting words."

(UPDATED March 14, 2026 03:45 UTC)

In a significant development, the Department of Justice has moved to drop charges against military veteran Jan Carey for burning an American flag outside the White House in 2025, an act he claimed was a protest against President Trump's executive order directing the DOJ to investigate flag burning. Carey was facing two misdemeanor counts related to the incident, but he pleaded not guilty and was challenging his indictment, which could have resulted in fines or up to six months in custody. The DOJ's decision to dismiss the charges came on March 13, 2026, as part of an effort to navigate around a Supreme Court ruling that protects symbolic speech, including flag burning.