Hawley cranks up the heat on American flag burners with bill adding year to prison time

FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo.., is introducing legislation that creates new penalties for rioters who burn the American flag Thursday, Fox News Digital has learned.

Hawley says he discussed the flag burnings in Los Angeles with President Donald Trump and the pair agreed that desecrating the American flag should come with additional penalties. If passed, the bill would add one year in prison for flag burners on top of any rioting conviction.

Hawley referenced images and video coming out of Los Angeles showing dozens of protesters and rioters burning American flags, with many waving foreign flags instead.

"I would hope that every Republican would vote for it. Even my Democratic colleagues," Hawley told Fox in an interview. "This is the symbol of our nation."

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While courts have deemed flag burning in certain contexts to be protected expression, Hawley argues that protection falls away when a flag is burned "in furtherance of committing a federal crime," such as rioting.

"No one loves or cares for our beautiful flag more than President Trump, and no one has been stronger than President Trump on supporting law enforcement against violent rioters and malcontents," White House spokesman Kush Desai said in response Thursday.

Trump himself lashed out at flag-burners in Los Angeles during a Tuesday speech at Fort Bragg commemorating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army.

"These are animals, but they proudly carry the flags of other countries. They don't carry the American flag. They only burn it. Did you see a lot of the flags being burned?" Trump asked the crowd of service members, veterans, and their families.

"They weren't being burned by people from our country, or from people that love our country. People that burn the American flag should go to jail for one year," Trump continued.

"We'll see if we can get that done. We're going to try and get that done. We're working with some of your senators," he added. "Senator Josh Hawley is very much involved."

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Trump reiterated his stance about potential jail time for those who burn American flags during an interview on a podcast hosted by New York Post columnist Miranda Devine on Monday.

"I happen to think if you burn an American flag - because they were burning a lot of flags in Los Angeles - I think you go to jail for one year. Just automatic," once again referencing the details of the bill.

In addition to potential criminal penalties for rioters, Trump has suggested he may try to go after Gov. Gavin Newsom for interfering with ICE operations in Los Angeles.

During the president's comments at Fort Bragg, Trump also noted that his administration is looking into who may be "financing" the protests, saying "we're going to find out through Pam Bondi and Department of Justice who it is."

Hawley has also launched a congressional investigation into alleged financial support for the rioters.