Actor Nick Offerman clapped back at Michael Flynn Jr. after the son of retired U.S. Army Lieutenant General Michael Flynn shared an edited Parks and Recreation clip that made it seem like Ron Swanson, Offerman’s character on show, was throwing a pride flag into the garbage.
In response to a request for comment for this article, Flynn sent three laughing emoji.
Newsweek has contacted a representative for Offerman for comment via email outside regular working hours.
Why It Matters
Pride Month is celebrated in June—coinciding with the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Riots, a series of protests for gay liberation. This year’s Pride Month comes at a critical time for LGBTQIA+ people as Republican lawmakers in several states move to end same-sex marriage and the Trump administration has taken multiple steps to unravel protections for transgender Americans.
The State Department has also enacted a “one flag policy,” banning U.S. Embassies and overseas missions from flying pride flags.
What To Know
Flynn, whose father served as U.S. national security adviser for 22 days before resigning from the first Trump administration, posted the clip on X, formerly Twitter, on June 1.
He wrote in the caption, “Just wanted to post how I feel about ‘pride’ month.”
The clip, from the fourth season of Parks and Recreation, originally showed Swanson furiously throwing his computer into the trash after learning about online invasions into his privacy. The edited clip includes a rainbow flag in place of the computer.
Offerman wrote in response to Flynn’s post, “Ron was best man at a gay wedding you dumb f–k. #HappyPride.”
In “One Last Ride,” the series finale, Swanson serves as the best man in a wedding between two of the show’s smaller roles: Typhoon (Rodney To), who is Swanson’s hairdresser, and Craig (Billy Eichner).
Swanson, a committed libertarian, is known for his grumpiness and biting one-liners. However, the character, like the actor, is supportive of the queer community.
Offerman’s comment was met with a mixed response online, with some social media users applauding his quick comeback, while others criticized him.
What People Are Saying
X user @OzymandiasEsq, responding to Offerman in a post viewed 54,000 times as of press time, wrote: “I always love when a creator/writer/actor slams someone for misusing their character.”
User @RidgeburyCap, responding to Offerman in a post viewed 37,000 times, wrote: “No one cares what the actor thinks lol.”
What Happens Next
Cities across the U.S. have organized events and celebrations for Pride Month, with the annual WorldPride set to take place in Washington, D.C., this year. Pride marches and parades are also expected in cities such as New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.
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