
President Donald Trump hugged the US flag as he arrived to speak at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Maryland. (AFP / NICHOLAS KAMM)
The White House celebrated Flag Day by tweeting out a photo of President Donald Trump pawing an American flag -- and social media users were disturbed and disgusted.
The holiday, which marks the adoption of the flag in 1777 by the Second Continental Congress, falls each year on Trump's birthday.
The official government account tweeted out a photo of the president hugging a flag on the ad-festooned stage at this year's Conservative Political Action Conference, where Trump delivered a lengthy and profane rant against his political enemies.
https://t.co/c40BQpZFtW— The White House (@The White House) 1560527406.0
Twitter users were aghast at the image.
@WhiteHouse Shameful and disturbing— DeeZresist (@DeeZresist) 1560528196.0
@WhiteHouse @petersagal Wait, what? This is not a satire account?— Jes (@Jes) 1560528113.0
@WhiteHouse ::checks:: "Yup, that's the official WH twitter." Of all photos. This. 😐— Rich McCoy (@Rich McCoy) 1560528185.0
@WhiteHouse That flag just used the hashtag #MeToo— Val at Trippy Food (@Val at Trippy Food) 1560527990.0
@WhiteHouse Now they’re just laughing at everyone. They’re feeling invincible right now.— FTW4EVER (@FTW4EVER) 1560527910.0
@WhiteHouse Technically....very disrespectful.— Aaron Sarka (@Aaron Sarka) 1560528194.0
['sexual healing' playing quietly in background] https://t.co/plhGpTYupd— Bobby Lewis (@Bobby Lewis) 1560528365.0
@WhiteHouse This is real real weird.— Chris Howie (@Chris Howie) 1560527543.0
@WhiteHouse That photo doesn't come across the way you think it does, White House intern— Trumpy Trumpy ........................... (parody) (@Trumpy Trumpy ........................... (parody)) 1560527786.0
@WhiteHouse Celebrating the desecration of the flag on an official government account? This administration really has no shame. Sad!— Chip Hourihan (@Chip Hourihan) 1560528164.0
@WhiteHouse He's molesting that flag like he does to beauty pageant contestants.— Mike Trozzo 👓😷🌊 (@Mike Trozzo 👓😷🌊) 1560527476.0
@WhiteHouse STOP. MOLESTING.. THE. FLAG.— JayVee (@JayVee) 1560528580.0
I should be better than this but I laugh every time I see the photos of Trump hugging the flag and making his happy… https://t.co/12Of3hapG2— David Roth (@David Roth) 1560528561.0