Washington County Commissioner Nafisa Fai is drawing criticism over two public appearances involving the American flag, including a Pledge of Allegiance recording that shows her keeping her hands down. The Somali-born Oregon Democrat also appeared at a campaign gathering in Minnesota, where she spoke Somali with an upside-down American flag behind her. Fai is seeking the chairmanship of Washington County’s Board of Commissioners. Her Minnesota appearance brought that Oregon campaign to an audience far outside the jurisdiction she wants to lead.
The Pledge recording captures Fai without her right hand over her heart, the customary gesture accompanying the declaration of allegiance to the United States. A screenshot from the clip shows her hands lowered during the observance. The footage circulated after criticism of the Minnesota campaign appearance, where the flag’s inverted position behind the podium had already attracted attention.
Fai’s Minnesota trip was an appearance supporting her bid for office in Oregon. Minnesota has one of the country’s largest Somali populations, providing an audience for her Somali-language remarks despite the far distance from Washington County. Reporting on the gathering identified it as a community event supporting her candidacy, though the office she is pursuing is decided by Washington County voters.
At the gathering, Fai spoke from a podium displaying a sign identifying her campaign for Washington County commission chair. An American flag appeared upside down behind her as she addressed the audience in Somali, according to coverage of the recording. A longer video published by Somali TV of Minnesota identified the event as a gathering supporting her campaign. Her opponent in the chair’s race is fellow Commissioner Pam Treece.
An inverted American flag carries a specific meaning under the U.S. Flag Code, which reserves that display for extreme distress involving danger to life or property. The display has also been used as an anti-American political protest. At Fai’s appearance, the inverted flag formed part of the backdrop to a candidate’s campaign remarks.
The Pledge has its own guidance under Section 4 of the Flag Code: participants should stand at attention facing the flag with their right hand over their heart. Uniformed personnel render a military salute, and veterans and service members out of uniform may also salute. Sharing the separate recording of Fai, End Wokeness wrote, “Nafisa Fai (D-OR) also doesn’t put her hand on her heart for the Pledge Of Allegiance.”
Watch Fai give the speech in front of the inverted flag here:
"*" indicates required fields
Fai currently represents District 1, which includes Aloha, Beaverton and Cooper Mountain. She first won election in 2020 and began her second four-year term in January 2025, according to a county announcement. Washington County Circuit Court Presiding Judge Rebecca Guptill administered her oath. The county identified Fai as its first elected Black, Muslim and immigrant or refugee commissioner.
The chairmanship would give Fai a countywide constituency on the five-member board, which sets policy and directs the county administrator and departmental staff. At her January 2025 swearing-in, she discussed transportation and homelessness before addressing the responsibilities facing county leadership. “No single person or organization can address the complexities of housing, public safety or equity,” she said.
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video.