Virginia GOP candidate Glenn Youngkin disavows 'weird and wrong' pledge to Jan. 6 flag at GOP rally
 
 
As the Virginia gubernatorial race enters the final stretch, Republican Glenn Youngkin is talking a lot about the rights of parents to tell schools what to teach and Democrat Terry McAuliffe is trying to lash Youngkin to former President Donald Trump. Trump endorsed Youngkin via livestream at a rally Wednesday night for the Virginia GOP's slate of candidates, though Youngkin did not attend. (Neither did the GOP candidate for lieutenant governor, Winsome Sears, who had been scheduled to speak. )
Before Trump beamed in and headliner Steve Bannon took the stage at Wednesday night's rally, the audience was asked to pledge allegiance to a flag the organizers said was carried at the "peaceful" Jan. 6 Capitol protest.
McAuliffe urged Youngkin on Thursday to "issue a statement or go before the cameras today" and say "it was not appropriate to pledge allegiance to a flag" that "tried to destroy the democracy." He added that "they really brought a flag up there and they did pledge of allegiance to a flag that was used to bring down the democracy that that American flag symbolizes."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
 
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
And Youngkin did issue a statement hours later. "I had no role in last night's event," but "it is weird and wrong to pledge allegiance to a flag connected to Jan. 6," he said. "As I have said many times before, the violence that occurred on Jan. 6 was sickening and wrong." If it is true that the flag was used on Jan. 6, Youngkin reiterated, "then we shouldn't pledge allegiance to that flag."
The fallout over the 2020 election, "which Trump continues to falsely claim was stolen from him, has been a cloud over Youngkin's campaign as he attempts to fend off McAuliffe's attacks without alienating ardent Trump voters, many of whom wrongly believe President Joe Biden did not legitimately win the 2020 election," ABC News explains. McAuliffe is leading Youngkin in the polls by a narrow 3 percentage points.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
- 
 Testosterone therapy in women highlights the lack of women’s health research Testosterone therapy in women highlights the lack of women’s health researchThe explainer There is no FDA-approved testosterone product for women 
- 
 Magazine solutions - November 7, 2025 Magazine solutions - November 7, 2025Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - November 7, 2025 
- 
 Magazine printables - November 7, 2025 Magazine printables - November 7, 2025Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - November 7, 2025 
- 
 Dutch center-left rises in election as far-right falls Dutch center-left rises in election as far-right fallsSpeed Read The country’s other parties have ruled against forming a coalition 
- 
 Senate votes to kill Trump’s Brazil tariff Senate votes to kill Trump’s Brazil tariffSpeed Read Five Senate Republicans joined the Democrats in rebuking Trump’s import tax 
- 
 Border Patrol gets scrutiny in court, gains power in ICE Border Patrol gets scrutiny in court, gains power in ICESpeed Read Half of the new ICE directors are reportedly from DHS’s more aggressive Customs and Border Protection branch 
- 
 Shutdown stalemate nears key pain points Shutdown stalemate nears key pain pointsSpeed Read A federal employee union called for the Democrats to to stand down four weeks into the government standoff 
- 
 Trump vows new tariffs on Canada over Reagan ad Trump vows new tariffs on Canada over Reagan adspeed read The ad that offended the president has Ronald Reagan explaining why import taxes hurt the economy 
- 
 NY attorney general asks public for ICE raid footage NY attorney general asks public for ICE raid footageSpeed Read Rep. Dan Goldman claims ICE wrongly detained four US citizens in the Canal Street raid and held them for a whole day without charges 
- 
 Trump’s huge ballroom to replace razed East Wing Trump’s huge ballroom to replace razed East WingSpeed Read The White House’s east wing is being torn down amid ballroom construction 
- 
 Trump expands boat strikes to Pacific, killing 5 more Trump expands boat strikes to Pacific, killing 5 moreSpeed Read The US military destroyed two more alleged drug smuggling boats in international waters 
