Fact check: What are the official guidelines for displaying the American flag at government buildings?

1. Summary of the results

The official guidelines for displaying the American flag at government buildings are primarily governed by 4 U.S. Code § 8 - Respect for flag, which outlines specific rules for the display, use, and storage of the flag, including when and how it should be displayed and how it should be treated with respect ^[1]. The United States Flag Code provides comprehensive rules and customs for displaying the flag, along with proper treatment and display procedures ^[2].

However, it's important to note that while the Flag Code is federal law, it is largely voluntary and non-binding, with no penalties for violating its provisions ^[3]. The Flag Code remains advisory in nature, providing guidelines for respectful display and disposal of the American flag ^[4].

Recent developments have introduced additional considerations for government facilities:

• The VA implemented a new flag display policy in February 2025 that limits flag displays at VA facilities to specific flags, including the United States flag, flags of U.S. states and territories, military service flags, VA flags, and official flags of U.S. agencies, aiming to establish consistency across the department and align with longstanding Department of Defense guidelines ^[5].
• The Make American Flags in America Act of 2025 was introduced by Congressman Nick Langworthy, which would ban imported flags from federal property and require all American flags displayed on federal property or purchased by federal agencies to be entirely manufactured in the United States from American-produced materials ^{[6] [7]}.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question doesn't address several important contextual factors:

• Recent policy changes: The question doesn't acknowledge that government agencies like the VA have been implementing new, more restrictive flag display policies that go beyond traditional Flag Code guidelines ^[5].
• Manufacturing requirements: There's an ongoing legislative effort to require that all American flags on federal property be domestically manufactured, which would represent a significant change from current practices ^{[6] [7]}.
• Enforcement reality: The question doesn't clarify that while official guidelines exist, the Flag Code is advisory rather than enforceable, meaning violations carry no legal penalties ^[4].
• Military-specific updates: Recent changes to the National Defense Authorization Act have allowed servicemembers to display the U.S. flag horizontally at events, showing that flag display rules continue to evolve ^[8].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself doesn't contain misinformation, but it could lead to incomplete understanding by:

• Implying uniformity: The question suggests there are singular "official guidelines" when in reality, different government agencies may have varying policies beyond the basic Flag Code requirements ^[5].
• Overlooking enforceability: The phrasing "official guidelines" might suggest these are binding regulations when the Flag Code is actually voluntary and non-binding ^[4].
• Missing recent developments: The question doesn't account for ongoing legislative efforts that could fundamentally change flag display requirements for government buildings, particularly regarding domestic manufacturing requirements ^{[6] [7]}.

The question would benefit from acknowledging that flag display guidelines for government buildings involve both traditional Flag Code provisions and evolving agency-specific policies that may be more restrictive than federal law requires.