A North Carolina pickle company has pulled the plug on supporting President Donald Trump's Great American State Fair after a Confederate flag display ignited a firestorm, according to reports on Tuesday.
Mt. Olive Pickle Company, a 100-year-old business from the Tar Heel State, ended its participation last week after the interactive exhibit at the North Carolina booth featured the controversial flag, The Daily Beast reported. The North Carolina state government did not sponsor the display, and instead companies statewide sponsored the installation.
The brand released a statement on X describing its decision.
"Mt. Olive Pickle Company was invited to participate in the North Carolina exhibit for the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C., as part of America’s 250th celebration," the statement said. "We are proud of our North Carolina roots, and we agreed to be a part of an exhibit, as presented to us, that would represent the best of our great state. We were unaware that an image of the Confederate flag was included in a video as part of this exhibit, and we have withdrawn our participation. Our company stands on values of human dignity, opportunity, and freedom."
A viral videoshared on X by Reuben Jones, Spectrum News Washington correspondent, showed multiple Confederate flags on television screens mounted to the display's walls.
The flag drew "unwanted attention," Jones reported for Spectrum News, and elicited a response from North Carolina state officials who said the controversial flag was "unapproved."
"This display does not reflect the North Carolina that we love. America 250 is about unity and bringing our nation together. Glorifying this divisive Confederate symbol does the exact opposite. We demand the organizers stop dishonoring the flag of North Carolina," the North Carolina governor's office told Spectrum.
Trump's fair has drawn plenty of commentary and criticism, including reports of low attendance marked by bad weather that canceled rapper Vanilla Ice's performance and power outages melting ice cream.