The Trump administration’s America First agenda is cleaning up local governments across the country.
Left-wing activists thought they could use taxpayer funds to push their woke ideology on unsuspecting communities.
But Florida just sent rainbow crosswalk supporters one message that has their agenda crumbling.
Sean Duffy delivers common-sense transportation policy
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy wasted no time implementing President Trump’s promise to end the weaponization of government agencies for left-wing political purposes.
Duffy announced that cities and counties maintaining rainbow crosswalks would lose federal transportation funding if they continued using taxpayer dollars for political messaging instead of actual road safety.
“Taxpayers expect their dollars to fund safe streets, not rainbow crosswalks,” Duffy declared on social media. “Political banners have no place on public roads. I’m reminding recipients of @USDOT roadway funding that it’s limited to features advancing safety, and nothing else. It’s that simple.”¹
The Transportation Secretary followed up with a letter to all 50 governors, emphasizing that far too many Americans die each year in traffic fatalities to allow distractions on roadways.
“Roads are for safety, not political messages or artwork,” Duffy stated in his directive to state leaders across the country.²
This represents a fundamental shift from the Biden administration’s approach, which allowed local governments to use federal transportation funds for virtue signaling rather than actual infrastructure improvements.
Florida transportation officials embrace federal common-sense directive
Florida Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue immediately endorsed the federal mandate and announced the state would comply with the new safety-focused approach.
“Florida’s proactive efforts to ensure we keep our transportation facilities free & clear of political ideologies were cemented into law by @GovRonDeSantis,” Perdue posted on social media. “Great to now have our federal partners also aligned behind this same common-sense policy.”³
https://twitter.com/FDOT_Secretary/status/1940483278428913858
The Florida Department of Transportation issued a memo to municipalities across the state explaining that non-standard surface markings could lead to driver distraction and jeopardize both driver and pedestrian safety.
“Non-standard surface markings, signage and signals that do not directly contribute to traffic safety or control can lead to distractions or misunderstandings, jeopardizing both driver and pedestrian safety,” the state memo explained.⁴
The directive specifically banned “pavement surface art that is associated with social, political, or ideological messages or images and does not serve the purpose of traffic control.”
Florida’s swift compliance demonstrates how Governor Ron DeSantis has positioned the state as a leader in rejecting woke ideology in favor of practical governance.
Boynton Beach removes political messaging from streets
Boynton Beach became the first Florida city to comply with the new federal and state transportation mandates by removing its rainbow crosswalk intersection.
Video footage captured road crews painting over the once-colorful intersection at East Ocean Avenue and Southeast First Street on Wednesday morning, returning it to standard black pavement.
“The decision follows recent guidance from the U.S. Transportation Secretary and the Florida Department of Transportation,” Boynton Beach City Manager Daniel Dugger stated.⁵
“While we recognize the symbolic importance of this intersection to our community, we must prioritize public safety and regulatory compliance,” Dugger added.
The Pride-themed intersection had been installed in June 2021 and had previously been vandalized, including an incident where a motorcyclist burned out over the mural, leaving black tread marks across it.
The fact that these intersections attracted vandalism demonstrates how divisive political messaging on public roads creates unnecessary conflict in communities.
Left-wing activists cry “blackmail” over safety-focused policies
Predictably, left-wing activists immediately attacked the common-sense directive as discriminatory rather than acknowledging the legitimate safety concerns.
Rand Hoch, president of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, called the federal and state mandates “blackmail” and claimed they were trying to “publicly erase the LGBTQ+ community.”⁶
But this reaction misses the point entirely – the directive isn’t about erasing anyone, it’s about ensuring taxpayer transportation funds are used for their intended purpose: making roads safer for all Americans.
The hysteria from liberal activists reveals how they’ve become accustomed to using government resources to advance their political agenda rather than serve the public interest.
Frank Cerabino, a columnist for the Palm Beach Post, wrote an emotional opinion piece claiming the directive was motivated by “small-minded bigotry” and calling it “another reminder of the small-minded bigotry that rules the land.”⁷
But Cerabino’s emotional response ignores the legitimate safety concerns and the principle that taxpayer funds should be used for their intended purpose, not political messaging.
The broader context of Florida’s leadership on common-sense governance
This transportation directive is part of a broader pattern of Florida leading the nation in rejecting woke ideology in favor of practical governance.
Governor DeSantis has previously stopped state-owned bridges from displaying rainbow-colored lights during Pride Month, recognizing that government resources shouldn’t be used for political messaging.
The administration has consistently applied the principle that taxpayer funds should serve all citizens equally, not advance particular political viewpoints.
Cities across Florida with rainbow intersections – including Delray Beach, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Miami Beach, Key West, Gainesville, Jacksonville, and St. Petersburg – now face the same federal and state mandates.
Local governments will need to decide whether they want to prioritize political messaging or maintain their federal transportation funding.
The choice is clear: use taxpayer dollars for actual road safety improvements, or lose federal support for virtue signaling.
Trump administration restores focus on core government functions
Secretary Duffy’s directive represents exactly the kind of common-sense governance Americans voted for when they gave President Trump a mandate in November.
Instead of allowing federal agencies to be weaponized for left-wing political purposes, the Trump administration is refocusing government on its core functions.
Transportation funds should be used to build safer roads, not to advance political messaging that divides communities.
The Bloomberg Philanthropies study that activists cite to defend rainbow crosswalks actually studied general “asphalt art” and found mixed results – but that’s beside the point.
The real issue is whether taxpayer transportation funds should be used for political messaging of any kind, regardless of the cause.
The Trump administration’s answer is clear: government resources should serve all Americans equally, not advance particular political viewpoints.
This directive will force local governments across the country to choose between their woke virtue signaling and their federal transportation funding.
Most will choose the funding, which means American roads will be safer and taxpayer dollars will be used for their intended purpose.
Florida’s quick compliance demonstrates why the state continues to lead the nation in rejecting failed liberal policies in favor of common-sense governance.
¹ Sean Duffy, Social Media Statement, U.S. Department of Transportation, July 1, 2025.
² Greg Owen, “City paints over Pride crosswalk on orders from Trump & Ron DeSantis,” LGBTQ Nation, July 17, 2025.
³ Jared Perdue, Social Media Statement, Florida Department of Transportation, July 2, 2025.
⁴ Florida Department of Transportation, Internal Memo to Municipalities, June 30, 2025.
⁵ Daniel Dugger, Official Statement, City of Boynton Beach, July 17, 2025.
⁶ Rand Hoch, Statement to Sun-Sentinel, Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, July 17, 2025.
⁷ Frank Cerabino, “Florida wants to ban gay pride crosswalks and keep us on the path of intolerance,” Palm Beach Post, July 18, 2025.
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Author: rgcory
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