Ex-NFL star upset with NJ town for ignoring Trump order to honor Charlie Kirk

New York Jets great Nick Mangold expressed his displeasure with a New Jersey town on Saturday as it declined to fly the American flag at half-staff in honor of Charlie Kirk.

Madison was among the towns in the state to ignore President Donald Trump’s proclamation that all American flags on government buildings should be flown at half-staff until Sunday. The order was made to honor the conservative influencer who was assassinated during an event at Utah Valley University.

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Retired New York Jets center Nick Mangold looks on before the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at MetLife Stadium on Sept. 25, 2022. (Vincent Carchietta/USA TODAY Sports)

But as Mangold drove by a government building in town, he noticed the flag was still waving at the top of the pole.

“I’m disgusted and saddened by my town (Madison) and my state (New Jersey),” he wrote on X. “This is wrong on so many levels … as an American husband and father was assassinated for expressing his right to free speech.”

Mangold tagged New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and the two gubernatorial candidates who are fighting to succeed Murphy, state Rep. Mikie Sherrill and Jack Ciattarelli.

NASCAR DRIVER DEDICATES VICTORY IN BRISTOL TO CHARLIE KIRK: ‘THIS ONE’S FOR CHARLIE’

New York Jets center Nick Mangold (74) congratulates running back Bilal Powell (29) after scoring a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans at MetLife Stadium on Dec. 15, 2013. (Vincent Carchietta/USA TODAY Sports)

Officials in Bergen County, New Jersey, also came under fire for keeping its flags at full staff but explained why in a post on Facebook.

“Today, we received questions about the lowering of the American flag at County-owned facilities,” the county said Saturday. “Bergen County’s policy is to follow the State of New Jersey’s daily flag status, which can be found here. Today’s status was ‘full staff.’”

Kirk was shot and killed as he was speaking to students at the university in Orem, Utah. He is survived by his wife and two children.

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Tyler Robinson was arrested in the shooting after officials launched a manhunt for more than a day.

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