Delta Air Lines apologized Thursday for a now-deleted post on its X account that appeared to sympathize with a social media user who complained about flight attendants wearing Palestinian flag pins on their uniforms.
Washington
Delta apologizes for post disparaging attendants’ Palestinian flag pins
“I hear you as I’d be terrified as well, personally,” the airline wrote, according to screenshots on social media of the deleted response. “Our employees reflect our culture and we do not take it lightly when our policy is not being followed.”
A Delta spokesperson said in a statement to The Washington Post on Thursday that the airline’s social media post “was not in line with our values and our mission.” The spokesperson said the team member who wrote the post “has been counseled and no longer supports Delta’s social channels,” but did not specify whether the team member still worked for Delta.
The flight attendants, who were photographed on separate flights, are still working for the airline and have received support from the company, Delta said in a statement. Although it previously permitted pins representing countries outside the United States to be worn on uniforms, Delta said that starting Monday, only U.S. flag pins will be allowed — a move the airline said it made in response to this week’s incident.
Palestinian activists condemned Delta’s response, and several social media users said they planned to boycott the airline.
Edward Ahmed Mitchell, the national deputy executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Muslim civil rights and advocacy group, told The Post that he initially hoped Delta’s tweet had not been written by someone who worked at the airline. He said the post could make people think the Palestinian flag is “an icon of a hate group.”
“What happened with Delta is just the latest example of anti-Palestinian racism,” Mitchell said, adding that CAIR welcomed Delta’s apology. “And my hope is that this incident will begin to slowly, slowly move the needle in a different direction.”
CAIR said in April that it had received more than 8,000 civil rights complaints in 2023, the highest in its 30-year history. Palestinian Americans have faced fear and violence amid the war in Gaza, The Post reported, with their support for civilians in the Gaza Strip misconstrued as support for Hamas, the militant group that has governed Gaza since 2006.
Hamas’s flag has Islamic text on a green background, while the Palestinian flag is a black, white and green tricolor with a red triangle on the left.
Federal officials said last year that they had identified a spike in threats against Arab, Jewish and Muslim communities after the war began.
Israel launched a military assault in Gaza after Hamas militants crossed the border into Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking some 250 hostage. More than 38,000 Palestinians have died in the enclave in the past nine months.
Israel’s war in Gaza and the rising death toll have triggered protests across the United States, including in corporate America. In April, Google fired 28 employees for publicly protesting a contract Google had with the Israeli government.
Full Episode:
Washington Week with The Atlantic full episode, 4/17/26
Donald Trump has achieved what he’s achieved to date by being more rhetorically reckless, blunter and more insulting than any president in memory. But are there any limits? Join moderator Jeffrey Goldberg, Leigh Ann Caldwell of Puck, Stephen Hayes of The Dispatch, and Jonathan Lemire and Michael Scherer of The Atlantic to discuss this and more.
A 5-year-old boy died after being pulled from the Anacostia River in Southeast D.C. Thursday evening.
About 6:20 p.m., first responders found the boy unconscious at Anacostia Park after family members and another person retrieved him from the river, a Metropolitan Police Department spokesperson said.
D.C. Fire and EMS took life-saving measures, and the boy was flown to a hospital by a U.S. Park Police helicopter, but he was pronounced dead, police said.
Witnesses told News4 a man they believe was the child’s father then rushed to the hospital.
It appears to be an accidental drowning, police said.
The scene was within sight of picnic pavilions filled with people grilling food and enjoying the warm spring evening.
Police interviewed witnesses and people who tried to help.
Swimming in the Anacostia is prohibited.
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Star outside back inks three-year deal with 2029 option
Washington, D.C. (04/16/2026) – The Washington Spirit and star defender Kate Wiesner have agreed to a new contract, the club announced today. Wiesner’s new deal is a three-year contract with a 2029 club option and will replace her current contract that was set to expire at the end of this year.
“I am beyond excited to continue my time with the Spirit,” said Wiesner. “I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to continue to wear this jersey with pride as we continue to forge a legacy together. DC, you are my home, and I’m honored to represent the heart of this city, on and off the field.”
Currently in her third professional season, Wiesner has proven herself as a dynamic outside back in a talented Spirit defending third. With 40 total appearances for Washington since making her debut in 2024, the defender has totaled over 2,000 minutes of action and tallied two goals, both in away wins. Wiesner has continued to provide a spark in both the attacking and defending thirds so far in 2026, helping the Spirit earn back-to-back clean sheets as well as a convincing multi-goal win on the road last week.
“Kate is exactly the type of player and person we want in our organization and we’re thrilled to keep her in DC for at least the next three seasons,” said General Manager Nathan Minion. “We’ve been able to see Kate develop into a key piece of our back line since drafting her in 2024 and have extreme confidence in her being an integral part of our long-term plan to sustainably compete for championships each year.”
At the international level, Wiesner has been called in by the U.S. Women’s National Team in each of her three years with the Spirit. First earning a call-up as a training player during her rookie year, Wiesner was named to the senior team’s roster for the first time late last season. The defender has appeared in three matches for the USWNT so far. Wiesner was also a regular of various youth national teams throughout her pre-professional playing career as well.
Originally from Monrovia, California, Wiesner attended Penn State University before being taken by the Spirit with the seventh overall pick in the club’s historic draft class in 2024. In her career with the Nittany Lions, the defender appeared in over 70 matches, tallying 24 goal contributions across over 4,500 minutes of playing time. Wiesner was named to the Big Ten’s All-Tournament Team and Third Team following her senior campaign.
The Spirit will next take the pitch at Audi Field on Friday, April 24 when the side hosts the defending Shield winner Kansas City Current. Kicking off at 8 p.m. EDT, the match will see the top two teams from last season face off. Tickets are available at WashingtonSpirit.com/tickets.
About The Washington Spirit
The Washington Spirit is the premier professional women’s soccer team based in Washington, D.C. and plays at Audi Field in Buzzard Point. The Spirit was founded on November 21, 2012 and is an inaugural member of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) the fastest growing sports league in the US. The club is home to some of the best players in the world who have won championships for both club and country. For more information about the Spirit, visit WashingtonSpirit.com and follow the club on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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