(NewsNation) — President Donald Trump signed executive orders Monday aimed at ending cashless bail for suspects arrested in Washington, D.C., and targeting the burning of the American flag.
The president has escalated his focus on public safety, particularly in Democratic-led cities, such as D.C., where he’s deployed National Guard troops and federal agents over the objections of local officials.
Trump signs order on cashless bail in DC
Trump on Monday denounced cashless bail policies — which allow some defendants to be released before a trial or hearing without having to pay — and instructed police in D.C. to hold those arrested in the district in federal custody.
“Cashless bail, we’re ending it. But we’re starting by ending it in D.C., and that we have the right to do through federalization,” Trump said during a signing ceremony in the Oval Office.
The order also threatens to revoke federal funding for jurisdictions that use cashless bail policies, according to a White House fact sheet obtained by NewsNation.
Cashless bail generally does not apply to defendants accused of violent crimes or serious felonies.
Trump targets American flag burning
Trump also signed an executive order seeking to prosecute those accused of desecrating the American flag, blaming such instances for inciting violence.
The order charges the Department of Justice with investigating instances of flag burning and directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to “vigorously prosecute those who violate our laws in ways that involve desecrating the flag, and to pursue litigation to clarify the scope of First Amendment in this area,” according to a White House fact sheet obtained by NewsNation.
Advisers to the president said the order “wouldn’t fall afoul of the First Amendment,” which protects the freedom of speech, but did not expand on what that meant.
The 1984 Supreme Court case Texas v. Johnson ruled flag burning constitutes “symbolic speech” and is protected by the First Amendment.
Libbey Dean contributed to this report.
