Trump says he 'took the freedom of speech away' on flag burning

President Donald Trump on Oct. 8 said his administration "took the freedom of speech away" as it relates to flag burnings, an activity that the Supreme Court has ruled is protected under the First Amendment.

“We took the freedom of speech away, because that’s been through the courts, and the courts said you have freedom of speech but what has happened is when they burn the flag it agitates and irritates crowds,” Trump said during a roundtable discussion on antifa. “I’ve never seen anything like it, on both sides, and you end up with riots.”

Trump made the comment after referencing conservative influencer Nick Sortor, who reported being attacked after attempting to stop a flag burning at a protest, according to OregonLive.

Trump also referenced an Aug. 25 executive order that directed his administration to prosecute people who burn American flags.