In a surprising turn of events, Ohio’s capital city found itself in a bit of hot water recently. An announcement had been made suggesting that the flag of Somalia would be hoisted above City Hall, a move that quickly stirred controversy.
The announcement, shared by the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department on Wednesday, was meant to celebrate the historic unification of the Trust Territory of Somaliland and the State of Somaliland into the Somali Republic back in 1960.
Concluding the post, the department noted that ‘City Hall will be raising the flag of Somalia,’ and included an illustrative graphic of Somalia’s national flag, featuring a prominent blue background and a central white five-pointed star.
This announcement was not met without backlash. Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno, a Republican, expressed his disapproval, questioning the appropriateness of the purported flag-raising ceremony.
‘There is only one nation’s flag that should ever be flown on American government buildings or property,’ Moreno wrote on X.
He sharply criticized the action by stating, “This action by Columbus is a total disgrace and takes away from the epic celebration on Saturday of this country’s 250 year celebration.” This sentiment underscores the divide in perspectives regarding the city’s international gesture.
Somalia Independence Day is celebrated on July 1, while the United States will commemorate its 250th anniversary this upcoming July 4.
The post, which was also made on Facebook, has since deleted after sparking wide backlash from conservative figures.
The post, which was later deleted, claimed that the Columbus City Hall (pictured) would be raising Somalia’s flag
Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno, a Republican, was blasted the social media post, saying ‘there is only one nation’s flag that should ever be flown on American government buildings or property’
The now-deleted post even caught the attention of officials in the orbit of President Donald Trump, with White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller weighing in.
‘Columbus, Ohio raising the flag of Somalia for America 250,’ Miller wrote on X.
Ohio State Rep. Brian Stewart, a Republican, said the post was ‘one more way in which we encourage the refusal to assimilate.’
‘If Somalia is such a failed state that we need to take in tens of thousands of its citizens as ‘refugees,’ then we really don’t need to be celebrating its supposed ‘independence’ with patronizing posts on social media,’ Stewart wrote on X.
Columbus has the second-largest Somali community in the US, according to WBNS.
More than 60,000 Somali people live in the city, per the outlet.
Texas Rep. Brandon Gill, a Republican, was among the lawmakers who criticized the post.
‘The United States of America is about to turn 250 and Columbus, Ohio has decided to raise the flag of Somalia,’ Gill wrote on X.
Tricia McLaughlin, the former Department of Homeland Secretary (DHS) assistant, also reacted to the post about the Somali flag.
‘Ohio’s capital city hoisting the flag of a foreign nation,’ McLaughlin wrote on X.
White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller commented on the post on X by noting how Columbus was apparently ‘raising the flag of Somalia for America 250’
Despite the post, a Somalia flag (pictured) was reportedly not spotted on the actual City Hall structure on Wednesday
The City Hall has previously been the site of Somali Independence Day celebrations. In 2025, the building (pictured) was lit blue in honor of the African nation’s flag
A spokesperson for Columbus mayor Andrew Ginther, Jennifer Fening, said the social media post ‘created by a city department falsely stated that City Hall would raise the Somalian flag in recognition of Somali Independence Day.’
‘While the City recognizes and respects the aspirations of people around the world to live in freedom, this post was inaccurate and has been deleted,’ the mayor’s spokesperson told the Columbus Dispatch.
However, it was still not entirely clear why the post was made in the first place.
A Somali flag was not on the City Hall building as of 3.20pm local time on Wednesday, according to the outlet.
Somalia’s Independence Day was celebrated in Columbus last year, with City Hall being lit blue in honor of the country’s flag, according to Spectrum News 1.
No events were scheduled to take place at the City Hall in commemoration of the country this year.
In 2021, Ohio State Rep. Dontavius Jarrells, a Democrat, helped lead a lighting ceremony at Columbus City Hall.
That was followed by a flag raising ceremony on a flag raising ceremony on the grounds of the Ohio Statehouse.
The Daily Mail has reached out to the Columbus Mayor’s office and the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department for comment.