TRUMP’S FLAG FLAP
PLUS: SENATOR’S FAREWELL TO AMERICA
Under heavy pressure from veterans’ groups, President Trump made a rare about-face yesterday, ordering American flags at all U.S. government buildings lowered to half-staff to honor the late Sen. John McCain — after many were shocked to see the White House flag at full-staff after just one day.
The war-hero Arizona senator, who died of brain cancer Saturday, and the notoriously sharp-tongued president were bitter rivals, with Trump regularly lobbing insults while McCain opposed his initiatives and slammed his policies.
“Despite our differences on policy and politics, I respect Senator John McCain’s service to our country and, in his honor, have signed a proclamation to fly the flag of the United States at half-staff until the day of his interment,” Trump said in a statement.
Even as flags remained at half-staff yesterday at the Capitol, the Washington Memorial and elsewhere, the White House flag was raised.
“It’s outrageous that the White House would mark American hero John McCain’s death with a two-sentence tweet, making no mention of his heroic and inspiring life,” said AMVETS National Executive Director Joe Chenelly. “And by lowering flags for not one second more than the bare minimum required by law, despite a long-standing tradition of lowering flags until the funeral, the White House is openly showcasing its blatant disrespect for Senator McCain’s many decades of service and sacrifice to our country as well as the service of all his fellow veterans.”
American Legion National Commander Denise Rohan said, “On the behalf of The American Legion’s two million wartime veterans, I strongly urge you to make an appropriate presidential
proclamation noting Sen. McCain’s death.”
While Veterans of Foreign Wars spokesman Joe Davis noted that the White House did strictly follow the Flag Code — which calls for flags at half-staff the day of death and the following day for members of Congress — his group pressed the White House yesterday trying to get the honor restored.
“A lot of people are making political hay out of this,” Davis told the Herald. “Obviously we would have liked the honor to be extended further and would hope the president would extend that honor for the day of interment.”
Trump finally did so. But people close to McCain and the White House said the family had requested that Trump stay away from the week’s services and ceremonies, including McCain’s burial Sunday at the U.S. Naval Academy.
Trump said Vice President Mike Pence will address a ceremony at the U.S. Capitol on Friday. Chief of Staff John Kelly, Defense Secretary James Mattis and National Security Adviser John Bolton will also represent the administration.
Meanwhile, Gov. Charlie Baker said in Massachusetts, the flags will continue to be flown at half-staff until McCain’s interment.
“We lowered our flag pretty much immediately upon his passing,” Baker said. “Whatever policy gets pursued by others, I can just tell you we believe this week should be about John McCain and his legacy as both a U.S. senator and as a member of our military, who was shot down and spent five years in a prisoner of war camp. We are going to keep the flag down until he’s interred.”