icon bookmark-bicon bookmarkicon cameraicon checkicon chevron downicon chevron lefticon chevron righticon chevron upicon closeicon v-compressicon downloadicon editicon v-expandicon fbicon fileicon filtericon flag ruicon full chevron downicon full chevron lefticon full chevron righticon full chevron upicon gpicon insicon mailicon moveicon-musicicon mutedicon nomutedicon okicon v-pauseicon v-playicon searchicon shareicon sign inicon sign upicon stepbackicon stepforicon swipe downicon tagicon tagsicon tgicon trashicon twicon vkicon yticon wticon fm
25 Feb, 2017 14:47

Alternative Flags: Mike Pence trolled for confusing Nicaraguan and Israeli flags

Alternative Flags: Mike Pence trolled for confusing Nicaraguan and Israeli flags

Mike Pence’s support for Israel at the Republican Jewish Coalition in Las Vegas on Friday night backfired spectacularly, when a staffer posted numerous tweets from the Vice President’s official account with the Nicaraguan flag instead of the Israeli one.

“Under @POTUS Trump, we will stand with Israel,” one tweet read. “Our support for the Jewish people doesn’t end at our nation’s border,” said another

Both the Israeli and Nicaraguan flags have two horizontal blue lines, but the Israeli lines are darker and thinner than those on the Nicaraguan flag.

The Israeli flag also has a large Star of David in the middle, while Nicaragua has a triangle featuring volcanoes, a sun, and a rainbow on its flag.

The blundering tweets were swiftly erased after news of the faux pas spread, but not before many screenshots were taken to capture the embarrassment for eternity.

People were quick to make fun of Pence and the Trump administration, drawing on past gaffes.

Many took a swipe at Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, whose appointment was criticized due to her lack of experience. While some attempted to defend the VP, claiming the two flags were very similar and it was an easy mistake to make, not everyone agreed.

Many used the blunder as an excuse to make jokes about Israel and its controversial domestic policy. “Even the VP doesn’t believe Israel exists,” one said.

READ MORE: Israel denies visa for HRW researcher, citing ‘Palestinian propaganda’ 

However, other Twitter users speculated that the error had been an attempt by staff to embarrass Pence.

Some drew comparisons between an earlier flag-related blunder on Friday that saw Trump supporters at the Conservative Political Action Conference unwittingly waving Russian flags with Trump written on them.

READ MORE: False flags: 'Russian Trump pennants' prank at CPAC causes social media meltdown

Podcasts
0:00
25:59
0:00
26:57