Confederate symbol – A video inside a North Carolina booth at President Donald Trump’s Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C. showed altered versions of the state flag incorporating the Confederate battle emblem known as the Southern Cross. North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein’s
A video inside a North Carolina booth at President Donald Trump’s Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C. lasted long enough to ignite a firestorm.
The controversy erupted after journalist Reuben Jones shared footage online showing two altered versions of North Carolina’s state flag—each featuring the Confederate battle emblem commonly known as the Southern Cross. Jones posted that he stopped by the North Carolina booth at the “Great American State Fair” on the National Mall on June 26. 2026.
North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein’s office moved quickly, denouncing the display as a false portrayal of the state. A Stein spokesperson said in a statement, “This display does not reflect the North Carolina that we love. America 250 is about unity and bringing our nation together. Glorifying this divisive Confederate symbol does the exact opposite. We demand the organizers stop dishonoring the flag of North Carolina.”.
The immediate response came from the organizers themselves. After the backlash, the organizers of the North Carolina pavilion confirmed the video had been removed. A spokesperson for the booth told Spectrum News that the organization became aware of an “unapproved image in a video displayed inside the North Carolina Pavilion. ” adding: “As soon as we were made aware. we immediately removed the video and began reviewing how it occurred. Our focus remains on celebrating America’s 250th birthday and North Carolina’s role in our nation’s history.”.
Stein had already faced a separate detail of the setup: the state decided not to participate because of high costs. and the booth is sponsored by private organizations. That information was included in Jones’s post. which noted: “The state decided not to participate because of the high costs so the booth is sponsored by private orgs.”.
Criticism didn’t wait for clarification. Historian Stephen Jackson, who focuses on North Carolina history, condemned the display in a post on X. He wrote: “Unlike former flags from Georgia and Mississippi. the official flag of NC has NEVER incorporated the Confederate Battle Flag in its design. Shame on whoever is running this booth.”.
Carolina Forward, a Democratic advocacy organization, also called the exhibit out publicly, posting: “So the privately-sponsored North Carolina booth at Trump’s fair features not one, but two altered versions of the state flag with a big stars-and-bars on it. Disgusting.”
As the uproar spread, at least one sponsor pulled away. Mt. Olive Pickle Company withdrew from the event after saying it had been unaware that a Confederate flag image was included in the video. In its statement. the company said: “We were unaware that an image of the Confederate flag was included in a video as part of this exhibit and we have withdrawn our participation. Our company stands on values of human dignity, opportunity and freedom.”.
For many, the dispute sharpened around a single question: why a Confederate emblem would appear at an America 250 celebration, inside a state booth meant to honor North Carolina’s place in the nation’s history.
With the video removed and the pavilion reviewing how the “unapproved image” ended up on display, the focus now turns to accountability—especially since the controversy surfaced so quickly once the footage was shared online.
Great American State Fair Trump North Carolina booth Josh Stein Confederate flag Southern Cross Reuben Jones Carolina Forward Spectrum News Mt. Olive Pickle Company America 250