Republican Party ridiculed after tweeting wrong flag for Fourth of July

The Republican Party is facing ridicule after tweeting, then deleting an image of the wrong flag in celebration of the Fourth of July.

The @GOP Twitter account shared an image that appeared to feature two Liberian flags on Tuesday morning alongside the message, “247 years ago, our forefathers told Ol’ King George to get lost! Happy Independence Day from the GOP!”

The tweet was quickly deleted after Twitter users pointed out the mistake. While the flag of Liberia resembles the U.S. flag and features a series of red and white stripes, the flag of the West African country is distinguished by the presence of a single white star on a blue background.

A subsequent Independence Day tweet from the Republican Party did not mention the mistaken flag but featured an image of a sparkler in front of the actual U.S. flag and the message, “thank you to all the men and women in uniform who continue to defend our freedom at home and abroad.”

Despite the @GOP account deleting its original tweet, screen captures of the tweet were preserved and re-shared by multiple users, accompanied by a range of comments mercilessly mocking the Republicans over the mistake.

“Nothing is ever gone,” @ResisterInGA tweeted alongside an image of the GOP’s original tweet. “Delete all you want. Liberia wants their flag back.”

“What idiot runs the @GOP Twitter page?” tweeted @thecitizeNY. “They selected the Liberia flag, not the US flag and now are trying to ‘edit’ their mistake. LOLOLOL.”

“Welcome to the United States of Liberia,” @jedi_deadpool tweeted in response to the GOP’s updated tweet. “The internet never forgets.”

“You know, I try hard to warn organizations that their crack comms teams will inevitably mess something *~fundamental~* up, and nevertheless, they persist,” tweeted former congressional staffer Zack Brown. “From your dear friends at the Republican National Committee, Happy Independence Day, Liberia!”

“Happy Birthday America!!” @the_resistor tweeted. “Meanwhile, the GOP is Celebrating the Flag of Liberia! Vote Blue Democrats KNOW which Country we Live in!!”

The similarity between the U.S. and Liberian flags can be traced back to the founding of Liberia. The country was originally founded by the American Colonization Society, a group of white Americans who proposed solving the “problem” of freed Black slaves by relocating them to Africa.

Decades after being populated by free Black Americans and Afro-Caribbeans, Liberia declared independence from the American Colonization Society in 1847 and adopted its current flag. Liberian Independence Day is celebrated every year on July 26.

Some Twitter users suggested, without evidence, that the GOP had originally used the Liberian flag on purpose.

“Not sure it’s a mistake,” tweeted @arabellasays. “I’m sure the GOP would be fine bringing back the idea of relocating African Americans to Liberia.”

“Wasnt Liberia founded by Jefferson sending slaves ‘back where they come from’? Its subtle. But I’m not sure it’s a mistake,” @nkdpagan tweeted.

Less than 30 minutes before the GOP’s original tweet, the Austin Police Department tweeted out an Independence Day message that used a very similar image featuring the Liberian flag.

The only differences between the images in the two tweets appeared to be the logo of the department being replaced by the GOP logo and a different font being used for the message “Happy Independence Day” in the Republican tweet.

Newsweek has reached out to the Republican National Committee and the Embassy of Liberia in Washington, D.C., via email for comment.