Flags back at half-mast as Trump backtracks
President responds to criticism of response to death of political rival McCain
Donald Trump has declared his “respect” for John McCain and ordered all US flags on public buildings to be flown at half-mast, bowing to criticism over his initial response to the senator’s death.
The US President arranged for the military to help transport McCain’s remains from Arizona to Washington, where he will lie in state, and asked senior Administration figures to attend his funeral.
It came after growing outcry over Trump’s lack of praise for the 81-yearold former Republican presidential candidate, with whom he frequently clashed ever since his 2016 presidential bid.
Trump declined to answer numerous shouted questions about McCain from reporters in the White House’s Oval Office yesterday after an announcement on trade.
That followed reports that Trump had decided not to issue a statement drafted by White House aides praising McCain as a “hero”, instead sending a brief tweet.
Trump had written on Sunday: “My deepest sympathies and respect go out to the family of Senator John McCain. Our hearts and prayers are with you!”
Critics noted that the comments included no praise for McCain’s life and years of service first as a soldier and prisoner of war in Vietnam and then as a US congressman — in marked contrast to the reaction of other leading political figures.
Anger mounted yesterday when the White House’s flag, which had flown at half-mast on Monday, returned to normal.
Trump changed that later yesterday, issuing a statement which read: “Despite our differences on policy and politics, I respect Senator John McCain’s service to our country and, in his honour, have signed a proclamation to fly the flag of the United States at half-staff until the day of his interment.”
He added that Mike Pence, the Vice-President, will speak at an honouring ceremony in Congress while James Mattis and John Bolton, the Defence Secretary and White House national security adviser, will attend McCain’s funeral.
Trump and McCain clashed several times during the 2016 US election. Once Trump played down McCain’s military record, saying: “I like people who weren’t captured.”
McCain appeared to use his final message, read posthumously by his campaign manager Rick Davis, to push back against the President’s agenda.
Part of the message read: “We weaken our greatness when we confuse our patriotism with tribal rivalries that have sown resentment and hatred and violence in all the corners of the globe.
“We weaken it when we hide behind walls, rather than tear them down, when we doubt the power of our ideals, rather than trust them to be the great force for change they have always been.”