White House flags up and down after McCain’s death
WASHINGTON – Facing a growing public outcry, President Donald Trump ordered U.S. flags brought back down to half-staff Monday to honor Arizona Sen. John McCain – hours after they had been raised.
As the nation mourned the loss of the former Vietnam POW, veteran senator and 2008 Republican presidential nominee, the White House came under siege for raising the flags two days after McCain’s death. Trump and McCain had a rocky relationship.
The White House received criticism from veterans groups, including the American Legion, distracting from the administration’s announcement of a trade deal with Mexico.
Hours after images of the fully raised flags catapulted across cable news and social media, Trump offered a formal statement about his former rival and signed a proclamation to bring the flags down, matching the lowered position at the U.S. Capitol and other government buildings.
“Despite our differences on policy and politics, I respect Senator John McCain’s service to our country,” Trump said.
Though federal law requires flags to be flown at half-staff for two days after the death of members of Congress, presidents have signed proclamations extending the honor for prominent people until burial. Trump had signed such orders, including one for former first lady Barbara Bush in April.
American Legion National Commander Denise Rohan wrote a letter to Trump “strongly” urging him to sign a proclamation for McCain, who died Saturday from brain cancer.
“The American Legion urges the White House to follow long-established protocol following the death of prominent government officials,” Rohan wrote. “Senator John McCain was an American hero.”
In addition to ordering the flags lowered until McCain’s burial, Trump asked Vice President Mike Pence to deliver remarks at a ceremony for McCain at the U.S. Capitol on Friday. He named a delegation that included his chief of staff, John Kelly, to attend McCain’s funeral. He authorized military transportation of McCain’s remains from Arizona to Washington.
Flags are lowered by presidential proclamation, so the president decides who receives the honor. The recent tradition for senators who die in office has been to have flags lowered in their honor from their death until their burial.
During President Barack Obama’s tenure, four sitting senators died: Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., in 2009; Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., in 2010; Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, in 2012; and Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., in 2013.