Chris Pratt was recently photographed wearing a t-shirt with the symbolism of the Gadsden flag.

The Revolutionary War-era flag, which features a rattlesnake and the famous "Don't tread on me" slogan, has recently been repurposed by Tea Party members, anti-gun control groups, and Donald Trump supporters.

Some associate the symbolism with white supremacist sentiments, akin to the Confederate Flag.

After Pratt received backlash on Twitter, conservative outlets and blogs rushed to his defense.

Conservative outlets and blogs are rushing to defend Chris Pratt after he was photographed wearing the controversial Gadsden flag.

Paparazzi photos of Pratt began to circulate after Vulture writer Hunter Harris drew attention to them on Twitter. Pratt's t-shirt features an American flag with Gadsden's famous rattlesnake and "Don't tread on me" slogan.

After Yahoo ran a story that noted the symbolism's racist implications, far-right blogs like Breitbart and Red State pounced on the "liberal media" for smearing a "patriotic A-lister."

Similarly, an article from Fox News prominently featured a reaction from conservative commentator Ben Shapiro — who has often been accused of touting racist sentiments.

Read more: Ben Shapiro, a conservative famous for asking people to debate him, stormed out of an interview he didn't like

Conservative outlets have taken care to note that the Gadsden flag, designed by the South Carolina native Christopher Gadsden in the lead-up to the Revolutionary War, was originally intended to promote the colonies' quest for independence.

But as Rob Walker wrote for The New Yorker, the flag's symbolism has evolved over time. Many now associate the Gadsden flag with white supremacist sentiments, akin to the Confederate Flag.

James Lambuer of Denver, photographed at a rally in 2010, said the Gadsden flag symbolizes the Tea Party movement. Craig F. Walker/The Denver Post via Getty Images

In recent years, the rattlesnake and slogan have been adopted by Tea Party members, anti-gun control groups, and supporters of President Donald Trump. The Tea Party has leaned heavily on racist messaging, and Trump has repeatedly been criticized for racist statements.

Read more: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tells Trump he has a 'racist heart in his chest' after he denies having a 'racist bone in my body'

The debate over the Gadsden flag's meaning hit a fever pitch in 2016, when the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission responded to a complaint from a US Postal Service employee.

The employee, who's black, had complained of racial discrimination in the workplace — and specifically cited one of his co-workers, who "repeatedly wore a cap to work with an insignia of the Gadsden Flag." He argued that the flag had become a "historical indicator of white resentment against blacks stemming largely from the Tea Party."

The EEOC told the Postal Service to take the complaint seriously.

"Whatever the historic origins and meaning of the symbol, it also has since been sometimes interpreted to convey racially-tinged messages in some contexts," the EEOC decided.

The Gadsden flag, far left, is often touted by Second Amendment traditionalists and Trump supporters. Albin Lohr-Jones/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images

"When it comes to the meaning of symbols, social context is everything. Even symbols that have no direct historical connection to racism can change meaning over time," Noah Feldman, a professor of law at Harvard University, wrote for Bloomberg at the time.

As many fans pointed out online, it's possible that Pratt was unaware of the symbol's implications — but the "Avengers" star is known for his support of right-leaning policies.

Representatives for Pratt didn't immediately respond to INSIDER's request for comment.