An upside-down American flag was spotted hanging from El Capitan in Yosemite National Park on February 22, 2025, sparking curiosity and concern.

According to the U.S. Flag Code, the flag should never be displayed upside down except as a signal of distress. The unusual sight was a protest against recent job layoffs in the National Park Service, which were part of 1,000 job cuts made by the Trump administration. These cuts affected employees at national parks and forests, a move that has caused unrest within the agency.

The flag’s display was a bold statement, symbolizing the distress felt by those impacted by the layoffs, as well as broader concerns about the administration’s approach to federal workforce cuts.