The flag icon has been used on government sites since 2017, said a spokesperson for the General Services Association, which guides federal website standards. The flag had only nine stars because of space, and it has no relation to any current or past U.S. flag, the spokesperson said.

But some people who take a close look at government websites are now wondering if other changes are in the works. Many people now claim the American flag on these websites has a new design. Some on social media suggest it happened when Trump took office and that it's a nod to the first Confederate flag.