Trump plan to re-raise flags on August 8 will send message to neo-Nazis, former FBI official warns

‘No one’s thinking about this, no one’s giving [Trump] the advice,’ says former assistant director of counterintelligence

A former FBI official has claimed that Donald Trump’s decision to re-raise flags on 8 August is a mistake, because the date is significant to white supremacist groups and neo-Nazis.

Flags in US public buildings have been flying at half-mast since the shootings in El Paso and Dayton last week.

“We have to understand the adversary and the threat we’re dealing with,” Frank Figiliuzzi said during an interview on MSNBC focused on the problem of white supremacy.

“It’s the little things and the language and messaging that matters.

“The president said that we will fly our flags at half-mast on 8 August. That’s 8/8.

“Now, I’m not going to imply that he did this deliberately but I am using it as an example of the ignorance of the adversary that’s being demonstrated by the White House.

“The numbers 8/8 are very significant in neo-Nazi and white supremacy movements.

“Why? Because the letter H is the eighth letter of the alphabet and to [neo-Nazis] the numbers 8/8 together stand for Heil Hitler.”

Mr Trump issued a directive on 4 August, ordering the US flag to be flown at half staff at the White House and public and military buildings.

The directive expires at sunset on 8 August.

“No one’s thinking about this, no one’s giving him the advice,” Mr Figiliuzzi said. “Or he’s rejecting the advice.”

The former FBI official served as the agency’s assistant director of counterintelligence from 2011 to 2012.

He worked as a special agent for 25 years, on matters including terrorism and foreign counterintelligence.

The former official’s comments have been mocked by far-right figures including Ann Coulter, who called the criticism “crazy”.

“I clearly said I’m not saying Trump did this deliberately, I’m saying he needs advice on how extremists will interpret raising the flag on 8/8,” Mr Figliuzzi said on Twitter, in response to the controversial commentator.

“He needs advice on putting out the fire he started. Are you part of that solution?”

The Southern Poverty Law Centre (SPLC) and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) have both classified 88 as a hate symbol used by white supremacists.

“One of the most common white supremacist symbols, 88 is used throughout the entire white supremacist movement, not just neo-Nazis,” the ADL’s website reads.

“One can find it as a tattoo or graphic symbol; as part of the name of a group, publication or website; or as part of a screenname or e-mail address. It is even sometimes used as a greeting or sign-off.

“The number is frequently combined with another white supremacist numeric code, 14.”

The numbers came to national prominence in June 2018 when Milo Yiannopoulos, a far-right online commentator, mocked Talia Lavin, a former New Yorker fact checker, by sending her $14.88 on PayPal.

Extremists use 14 to refer to a white supremacist mantra, which is 14 words long, about future generations.

Neo-nazism and the white supremacy movement have been in the spotlight after a domestic terror attack caused carnage last week.

A gunman posted a racist, anti-immigrant screed before carrying out a massacre in an El Paso Walmart, which left 22 dead and injured dozens more.

Multiple politicians have criticised the president for his own anti-immigrant rhetoric in the wake of the shooting.

The president attacked 2020 contender Beto O’Rourke on Twitter late on Tuesday night, telling him to “be quiet” after the candidate said his racist rhetoric was responsible for the Walmart massacre.

Mr O’Rourke responded: “22 people in my hometown are dead after an act of terror inspired by your racism. El Paso will not be quiet and neither will I.”