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.
-
Is Kash Patel’s fate sealed after Kirk shooting missteps?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION The FBI’s bungled response in the immediate aftermath of the Charlie Kirk shooting has director Kash Patel in the hot seat
-
‘We must empower young athletes with the knowledge to stay safe’
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Fox’s Kilmeade sorry for ‘just kill’ homeless remark
Speed Read Kilmeade’s ‘rare on-air apology’ also served as Fox News’ response to the controversy
-
Brazil’s Bolsonaro sentenced to 27 years for coup attempt
Speed Read Bolsonaro was convicted of attempting to stay in power following his 2022 election loss
-
House posts lewd Epstein note attributed to Trump
Speed Read The estate of Jeffrey Epstein turned over the infamous 2003 birthday note from President Donald Trump
-
Supreme Court allows 'roving' race-tied ICE raids
Speed Read The court paused a federal judge's order barring agents from detaining suspected undocumented immigrants in LA based on race
-
Voting: Trump's ominous war on mail ballots
Feature Donald Trump wants to sign an executive order banning mail-in ballots for the 2026 midterms
-
South Korea to fetch workers detained in Georgia raid
Speed Read More than 300 South Korean workers detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant will be released
-
DC sues Trump to end Guard 'occupation'
Speed Read D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argues that the unsolicited military presence violates the law
-
RFK Jr. faces bipartisan heat in Senate hearing
Speed Read The health secretary defended his leadership amid CDC turmoil and deflected questions about the restricted availability of vaccines
-
White House defends boat strike as legal doubts mount
Speed Read Experts say there was no legal justification for killing 11 alleged drug-traffickers