White House

Spicer Briefly Holds Briefing With Upside Down American Flag Pin, Twitter Erupts

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer was apparently distressed during Friday's briefing with the press. Or at least that's what many on social media joked he was signaling after taking to the podium with an upside down American flag pin on his lapel. 

An upside down American flag is a universal symbol for distress. 

"The flag should never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property," U.S. code says.

The faux pas wasn't lost on the Twitterverse.

About 10 minutes into the briefing and before he began fielding press questions, former "Apprentice" contestant and current director of communications for the Office of Public Liaison Omarosa Manigault came to Spicer's rescue, informing him up the lapel mishap.

To be fair Spicer isn't the first high profile figure to have a mishap with a lapel pin. Last year then democratic Vice President hopeful Tim Kaine took fire for wearing a lapel pin depicting a flag that wasn't the American Flag. Instead it was a mini Service Flag, or blue star flag, honoring his son’s service in the United States Marine Corps.

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