Interior Dept. flies special flag to indicate Zinke’s presence

The Interior Department reportedly flies a special secretarial flag whenever Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke enters the agency’s headquarters in downtown Washington.

The Washington Post reported that a security staffer goes to the roof and puts up the special flag when Zinke comes into the building.

When Zinke leaves or travels, the flag goes down.

The flag is a blue banner that includes the agency’s bison seal, according to The Washington Post.{mosads}

If Zinke isn’t there, another flag is raised for when Deputy Secretary David Bernhardt is in the building.

A spokeswoman called the ritual a “major sign of transparency.”

“Ryan Zinke is proud and honored to lead the Department of the Interior, and is restoring honor and tradition to the department, whether it’s flying the flag when he is in garrison or restoring traditional access to public lands,” press secretary Heather Swift said in an email to the newspaper.