Overview

• The Defense Department’s June 14 social media post for Flag Day included a graphic showing the U.S. flag alongside two rectangles of white, blue, and red matching Russia’s flag.
• Social media users and experts accused the Defense Department of intentionally or carelessly featuring the Russian flag colors in the Flag Day graphic.
• Lead Stories and the CIA confirmed that the three-band color sequence of white, blue, and red corresponds to Russia’s national flag.
• The original post remains live on the Defense Department’s account as of June 15, with no official comment from the Pentagon.
• The controversy highlights the pitfalls of managing official social media messaging under intense public and geopolitical scrutiny.