Trump on Flag Burning: I’m a Believer in Free Speech, But ‘This Is a Special Case’

President-elect Donald Trump today again brought up his issues with flag-burning and why he’s not particularly convinced by the free speech argument.

Following his previous comments on the subject, Trump said at a Louisiana rally this afternoon, “When I see people ripping up the American flag… I think it’s a disgrace.”

Trump says he's a "big believer" in free speech, but thinks "we have to do something" about flag burning. https://t.co/xGFWNUhBEm

— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) December 9, 2016

He continued, “You can say what you want––free speech, it’s all wonderful, I’m a big believer in free speech––but maybe we’re gonna be putting something in to see if we can do something about it, because this is a special case.”

The Supreme Court has ruled that flag-burning is protected by the First Amendment, and the late Justice Antonin Scalia said while he doesn’t like the practice, “we have a First Amendment, which says that the right of free speech shall not be abridged.”

(In this same speech today Trump said he wants to find a Supreme Court nominee “that is as close to Justice Scalia as possible.”)

Watch Trump above, via ABC News.

[image via screengrab]

— —

Follow Josh Feldman on Twitter: @feldmaniac

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!