Frank Figluizzi, an NBC News national security contributor, said during an appearance on MSNBC Tuesday night that President Trump erred in ordering flags to be flown at half mast because of the mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, because of the importance of Aug. 8 to white supremacists.
Figluizzi, a former FBI assistant director of counterintelligence, said Trump’s move would result in flags being raised again at dusk on Aug. 8.
“It’s the little things and the language and messaging that matters,” Figluizzi told anchor MSNBC’s Brian Williams on “The 11th Hour.” “The president said that we will fly our flags at half-mast until Aug. 8. That’s 8/8.”
{mosads}”Now, I’m not going to imply that he did this deliberately, but I am using it as an example of the ignorance of the adversary that’s being demonstrated by the White House,” he continued.
“The numbers 88 are very significant in neo-Nazi and white supremacy movement. Why? Because the letter ‘H’ is the eighth letter of the alphabet, and to them the numbers 88 together stand for ‘Heil Hitler.’ So we’re going to be raising the flag back up at dusk on 8/8,” Figluizzi added.
“No one’s thinking about this, no one’s giving him the advice,” he concluded. “Or he’s rejecting the advice.”
The analysis was quickly mocked on social media, including by conservative commentator Ann Coulter.
“WINNER! Craziest thing ever said on TV: MSNBC regular Frank Figliuzzi claims that Trump ordering flags at half mast until Thursday was secret ‘HEIL HITLER!’ signal,” Coulter wrote to her more than 2.2 million followers.
Figluizzi responded to Coulter by stating Trump “needs advice on putting out the fire he started.”
“Dear craziest person on TV, listen carefully; I clearly said I’m not saying Trump did this deliberately, I’m saying he needs advice on how extremists will interpret raising the flag on 8/8. He needs advice on putting out the fire he started. Are you part of that solution?” he tweeted back.