'Toxic': Vietnam vet so sickened by Trump he can't bear to fly American flag

An 84-year-old Vietnam veteran is taking a stand against President Donald Trump by taking down the American flag that used to hang outside his California home, according to a report from the Guardian.

“The American flag won’t fly again until things get straightened out down the line and administrations change,” said Morgan Akin.

Originally from Texas, Akin claims the country is becoming increasingly unrecognizable to him and he is concerned for his family.

“What happens to me is immaterial because I’m 84 years old. My lifespan is decreasing daily, so it’s probably not going to have a big impact on me overall. But I have two children. I have three grandchildren. I’ve got now four great grandchildren,” he said. “How is that impacting their future?”

The Guardian reported, “Older Americans such as Akin are among the most disapproving of Donald Trump’s performance as president.”

A poll from NPR, PBS News, and Marist found that 37% of people born before 1947 approve of the job Trump has done as president.

Roughly six in 10 veterans say they supported Trump in 2024, but Akin does not. He is a lifelong Democrat, dating back to his time growing up in segregated Texas.

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According to the Guardian, “Akin loved his home state but found it deeply prejudiced and never could shake his association with the Republican Party and racism.”

At 17, he joined the Marine Corps — and discovered it was essential to get on with his fellow Marines.

“You all bled the same way,” he said. “From that point, my whole attitude changed about a lot of things. So I have been a Democrat [since] the first time I registered.”

Today, Akin believes Trump is “just tearing the country apart. The whole fabric of the country is just being ripped apart,” Akin said. “The worst part is the people that are getting hurt – the migrants that came here in earnest.”

The outlet wrote, "Outside Akin’s home, a U.S. Marine's flag still flies alongside a Ukrainian flag. The American flag remains put away.

“I still get upset if I see someone flying it upside down. And my wife gets really upset when she sees an American flag with Trump’s face on it,” he said. “Because we’ve always been respectful of the flag. It’s just much more toxic now.”

Akin is worried about the care disabled veterans may receive in the future, and that there will be a day when the US government might use the military against citizens. The Guardian said, "Now Akin is focused on advocating how he can. He and his wife plan to keep protesting."