Former New York Jets center Nick Mangold publicly rebuked the Borough of Madison, New Jersey, after he said he saw the American flag flying at full staff on Saturday despite a presidential proclamation ordering flags on federal property lowered in honor of political commentator Charlie Kirk.
President Donald Trump issued the proclamation Wednesday directing U.S. flags on federal property to remain at half-staff through Sunday evening as a nationwide tribute to Kirk, who was shot and killed last week at a campus event in Utah. Mangold, 41, posted on X that he was “disgusted and saddened by my town (Madison) and my state (New Jersey),” and included a photograph of a flag atop a government pole with a timestamp showing the image was taken at 5:44 p.m. ET on Sept. 13.
The Borough of Madison responded after receiving criticism, saying it follows the State of New Jersey’s daily flag status. “Over the weekend, the status was ‘full staff,’” the borough posted on its official X account, adding that it “condemns all forms of political violence and rejects hate in every form” and remains committed to bringing people together around shared values.
Federal buildings in Washington complied immediately with the president’s instruction, lowering flags at the White House and other agencies. But state-level guidance in New Jersey and New York listed flags at full-staff over the weekend, and neither state issued a matching order to lower flags in response to the presidential proclamation.
Mangold tagged Gov. Phil Murphy and New Jersey congressional candidates Mikie Sherrill and Jack Ciattarelli in his post. Mangold, an Ohio native who played his entire 10-year NFL career with the Jets and was inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor in 2022, has lived in New Jersey since his playing days.
Kirk, 31, was shot and killed at a question-and-answer event at Utah Valley University. Authorities arrested 22-year-old Tyler James Robinson of Washington, Utah, on suspicion of aggravated murder and other felonies. Prosecutors have said they are preparing formal charges that could be filed early next week, when Robinson is expected to make his first court appearance.
Several National Football League teams paused before kickoff on Sunday to honor Kirk. The Jets, Miami Dolphins, Tennessee Titans, New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals observed moments of recognition. Other teams did not mark his death before their games; the Indianapolis Colts said they instead observed a previously planned moment of silence for Forrest Lucas, founder of Lucas Oil, who died last month. The Detroit Lions, Cincinnati Bengals, Baltimore Ravens and Minnesota Vikings did not initially comment.
The debate over lowering flags reflected broader divisions over public responses to Kirk’s death, with some officials and organizations following the presidential directive and others adhering to state guidance or choosing different forms of commemoration. Madison’s statement emphasized adherence to state policy while denouncing political violence and expressing a commitment to shared civic values.
Mangold’s post, and the borough’s reply, underscore how a federal proclamation can encounter varied implementation across jurisdictions that follow state rules for local flag display. The question of protocol and the differing responses by teams and municipalities came as prosecutors prepared to file charges in the Utah killing and as public debate continued over how public institutions should respond to the death of a polarizing political figure.