By Janelle Powell, Opinion Contributor
While Chicago burns, Chicago Fire Department leadership plays politics – defying Trump’s orders, dishonoring the flag, and turning a once-proud department into a political joke.
So let me get this straight: President Trump issues a direct order to fly the American flag at half-staff to honor Charlie Kirk, and the Chicago Fire Department brass decides, “Umm no, we’ll pass.” An email goes out telling chiefs to ignore the President of the United States and keep the flags at full staff.
That’s not the leadership we need – that’s flat-out arrogance and a giant middle finger to the Commander-in-Chief.
The CFD is supposed to be about courage, sacrifice and respect. Yet the clowns at the top think they’re smarter than the President and the traditions of this country.
They’ve turned the Fire Department into a political sideshow, too busy virtue-signaling to do something as simple as honoring the flag. It’s pathetic, it’s embarrassing and it tells you everything you need to know about the woke rot eating away at Chicago’s institutions.
And here’s the kicker: most of the men and women of the Chicago Fire Department disagree with this nonsense.
The rank-and-file firefighters – the ones actually running into burning buildings, the ones risking their lives – don’t stand with the brass. They know this is wrong. They respect the flag. They respect tradition. And plenty of them, whether City Hall likes it or not, are Trump supporters.
They see through this political theater, and they’re sick of being dragged into it by out-of-touch bosses.
This flag stunt is just the latest episode in a long-running circus.
Cover-ups and corruption: A CFD supervisor was literally found asleep at the wheel. Instead of accountability, the brass covered it up with falsified reports. That’s not discipline – that’s protecting their own.
The new “defensive” firefighting policy: Firefighters are now told they can’t enter a burning building unless they see a victim or get a “credible report.” So instead of doing their job, they stand outside waiting for permission while homes burn and lives are lost. Liability over lives – only in Chicago.
Broken equipment and short staffing: Firefighters are begging for working rigs and gear, while leadership wastes time pushing equity plans and “inclusive leadership” nonsense. Newsflash: a diversity initiative doesn’t put out a fire. A working hose does.
This is what happens when woke politics takes over. The brass think they can pick and choose which orders to follow, which traditions to honor and which lives are worth the risk. They’ve turned a once-proud institution into a tool for their own petty agenda.
The American flag isn’t optional. Lowering it isn’t some “suggestion.” It’s a symbol of respect and unity – and when CFD’s leadership defies that, they’re not just spitting on Trump, they’re spitting on every American who looks at that flag and sees sacrifice, service and freedom.
But don’t confuse the hacks at the top with the real firefighters. The rank-and-file are disgusted. They don’t support this move, and they sure as hell don’t support the political circus being run out of the Commissioner’s office.
They’re still doing their jobs, still saving lives, and yes, still respecting the flag – even if their so-called leaders won’t.
Chicago deserves better. Its firefighters deserve better.
It’s time to clean house. That means calling out the names: Commissioner Annette Nance-Holt and Fire Marshal Donald Walker.
You’ve turned CFD into a political joke. You’ve disrespected the President, the flag and your own firefighters.
And the city won’t forget it.
