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White House Returns Flag to Half-Staff for John McCain, as the Senator Gets a Last Word White House Returns Flag to Half-Staff for John McCain, as the Senator Gets a Last Word
(35 minutes later)
WASHINGTON — In a statement that began by highlighting their past conflicts, President Trump expressed his respect on Monday for Senator John McCain, adding that he had ordered the White House and all public flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of the 81-year-old Vietnam War hero and two-time Republican presidential candidate who died on Saturday after a yearlong battle with brain cancer. WASHINGTON — In a statement that began by highlighting their past conflicts, President Trump expressed his respect on Monday for Senator John McCain, adding that he had ordered the White House and all public flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of the Vietnam War hero and two-time Republican presidential candidate.
“Despite our differences on policy and politics, I respect Senator John McCain’s service to our country,” Mr. Trump said, “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.”“Despite our differences on policy and politics, I respect Senator John McCain’s service to our country,” Mr. Trump said, “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.”
Mr. Trump spent much of Monday declining several requests by journalists to comment publicly on the death of Mr. McCain, adding to the ire from veterans groups and critics that grew around his conspicuous silence and apparent delay in ordering the White House flag lowered to half-mast. Mr. Trump spent much of Monday declining several requests by journalists to comment publicly on the death Saturday of Mr. McCain after a yearlong battle with brain cancer, adding to the ire from veterans groups and critics that grew around his conspicuous silence and apparent delay in ordering the White House flag lowered to half-mast.
The president, whom Mr. McCain had previously said was not invited to his funeral services, said other senior aides would attend memorial events in his place. They will be John F. Kelly, the White House chief of staff; John Bolton, the national security adviser and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.The president, whom Mr. McCain had previously said was not invited to his funeral services, said other senior aides would attend memorial events in his place. They will be John F. Kelly, the White House chief of staff; John Bolton, the national security adviser and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.
Mr. McCain, who had survived a Vietnam War prison camp and weathered the gradual coarsening of politics within his own party, appeared to have a sense of how the day might unfold. For the last time, the fiery Arizona senator stepped in to call for patriotism over politics when Mr. Trump would not. Mr. McCain, 81, who had survived a Vietnam War prison camp and weathered the gradual coarsening of politics within his own party, appeared to have a sense of how the day might unfold. For the last time, the fiery Arizona senator stepped in to call for patriotism over politics when Mr. Trump would not.
[Read Senator John McCain’s farewell statement.][Read Senator John McCain’s farewell statement.]
Speaking in a posthumous statement delivered through a top aide, Mr. McCain issued a pointed rebuttal of Trump-era politics, although he never mentioned the president by name.Speaking in a posthumous statement delivered through a top aide, Mr. McCain issued a pointed rebuttal of Trump-era politics, although he never mentioned the president by name.
“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,” Mr. McCain wrote in a statement delivered by Rick Davis, his family spokesman and former campaign manager. “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.”“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,” Mr. McCain wrote in a statement delivered by Rick Davis, his family spokesman and former campaign manager. “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.”
In his statement, Mr. McCain, one of a few Republicans in Congress who pushed back against Mr. Trump and publicly criticized his style of leadership, alluded to “blood and soil,” a German nationalist slogan dating to the 19th Century that has been resurrected by the alt-right and white nationalist movement in the United States.In his statement, Mr. McCain, one of a few Republicans in Congress who pushed back against Mr. Trump and publicly criticized his style of leadership, alluded to “blood and soil,” a German nationalist slogan dating to the 19th Century that has been resurrected by the alt-right and white nationalist movement in the United States.
“We are citizens of the world’s greatest republic, a nation of ideals, not blood and soil,” Mr. McCain wrote.“We are citizens of the world’s greatest republic, a nation of ideals, not blood and soil,” Mr. McCain wrote.
“Do not despair of our present difficulties but believe always in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here,” Mr. McCain wrote to close his letter. “Americans never quit. We never surrender. We never hide from history. We make history.”“Do not despair of our present difficulties but believe always in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here,” Mr. McCain wrote to close his letter. “Americans never quit. We never surrender. We never hide from history. We make history.”
In the Capitol on Monday, Mr. McCain’s desk on the Senate floor was draped in black and topped with a vase on white roses. And outside the building that housed his longtime office, impromptu memorials had begun to take shape, including flowers and a white Navy hat.In the Capitol on Monday, Mr. McCain’s desk on the Senate floor was draped in black and topped with a vase on white roses. And outside the building that housed his longtime office, impromptu memorials had begun to take shape, including flowers and a white Navy hat.
Across the country, a series of Republican governors in at least five states that Mr. Trump won in the 2016 election — Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, North Dakota and Iowa — ordered flags at government buildings to be lowered through Mr. McCain’s interment. The Department of Homeland Security sent a “flag action notification” on Monday to state and local officials and Homeland Security agencies around the country, calling for flags to be flown at half-staff until Mr. McCain is buried.Across the country, a series of Republican governors in at least five states that Mr. Trump won in the 2016 election — Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, North Dakota and Iowa — ordered flags at government buildings to be lowered through Mr. McCain’s interment. The Department of Homeland Security sent a “flag action notification” on Monday to state and local officials and Homeland Security agencies around the country, calling for flags to be flown at half-staff until Mr. McCain is buried.
But at the White House, a split screen from the rest of the country unfolded. The American flag flew on top of the Executive Mansion where Mr. Trump began his public schedule by touting a revamp of his trade deal with Mexico. The president seemed so willing to deliver a policy win to the public that the television cameras went live before the telephone equipment had Enrique Peña Nieto, the Mexican president, on the line.But at the White House, a split screen from the rest of the country unfolded. The American flag flew on top of the Executive Mansion where Mr. Trump began his public schedule by touting a revamp of his trade deal with Mexico. The president seemed so willing to deliver a policy win to the public that the television cameras went live before the telephone equipment had Enrique Peña Nieto, the Mexican president, on the line.
“Enrique?” Mr. Trump asked, growing flustered on live television as his aides tried to figure out the phone. “Do you want to put that on this phone, please? Hello? Be helpful.”“Enrique?” Mr. Trump asked, growing flustered on live television as his aides tried to figure out the phone. “Do you want to put that on this phone, please? Hello? Be helpful.”
While he was expressive in his phone conversation with Mr. Nieto, the president sat with his arms crossed and looked straight ahead as reporters asked him several times to expand on the single tweet he sent over the weekend offering his condolences to Mr. McCain’s loved ones. During another event with the President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, Mr. Trump leaned forward, hands steepled, and ignored shouted questions about Mr. McCain as the cameras rolled.While he was expressive in his phone conversation with Mr. Nieto, the president sat with his arms crossed and looked straight ahead as reporters asked him several times to expand on the single tweet he sent over the weekend offering his condolences to Mr. McCain’s loved ones. During another event with the President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, Mr. Trump leaned forward, hands steepled, and ignored shouted questions about Mr. McCain as the cameras rolled.
The visual of the flag raised high at the White House made the rounds on social media, drawing the ire of Trump administration critics and several veterans’ groups, until it was finally lowered again late Monday afternoon.The visual of the flag raised high at the White House made the rounds on social media, drawing the ire of Trump administration critics and several veterans’ groups, until it was finally lowered again late Monday afternoon.
One veterans’ group, VoteVets, issued a statement of scathing criticism. “Donald Trump refuses to lower flag, for John McCain. As we said yesterday, Donald Trump is a pathetic, thin-skinned, self-centered, low-class, petty coward,” the group wrote in a Twitter post on Monday.One veterans’ group, VoteVets, issued a statement of scathing criticism. “Donald Trump refuses to lower flag, for John McCain. As we said yesterday, Donald Trump is a pathetic, thin-skinned, self-centered, low-class, petty coward,” the group wrote in a Twitter post on Monday.
And the American Legion, the nation’s largest wartime veterans service organization, called for the White House to lower the flag.And the American Legion, the nation’s largest wartime veterans service organization, called for the White House to lower the flag.
“On the behalf of The American Legion’s two million wartime veterans, I strongly urge you to make an appropriate presidential proclamation noting Senator McCain’s death and legacy of service to our nation, and that our nation’s flag be half-staffed through his interment,” Denise Rohan, the national commander of the American Legion, wrote in a statement.“On the behalf of The American Legion’s two million wartime veterans, I strongly urge you to make an appropriate presidential proclamation noting Senator McCain’s death and legacy of service to our nation, and that our nation’s flag be half-staffed through his interment,” Denise Rohan, the national commander of the American Legion, wrote in a statement.
Still, Mr. Trump initially kept far away from the topic, instead doling out several messages on Twitter about professional football and the golfer Tiger Woods.Still, Mr. Trump initially kept far away from the topic, instead doling out several messages on Twitter about professional football and the golfer Tiger Woods.
Presidents often issue proclamations after significant events, like a mass shooting or the deaths of important figures, specifying when flags should fly at half-staff and for how long at federal buildings, military posts and facilities abroad, like embassies.Presidents often issue proclamations after significant events, like a mass shooting or the deaths of important figures, specifying when flags should fly at half-staff and for how long at federal buildings, military posts and facilities abroad, like embassies.
It was not immediately clear that the flag at the White House was initially raised on Monday at the direction of the president, or if the flag is automatically fully raised absent a presidential proclamation to fly it at half-staff. The United States Flag Code provides for the lowering of the American flag on the day of the death of a member of Congress and the following day.It was not immediately clear that the flag at the White House was initially raised on Monday at the direction of the president, or if the flag is automatically fully raised absent a presidential proclamation to fly it at half-staff. The United States Flag Code provides for the lowering of the American flag on the day of the death of a member of Congress and the following day.
“Flag custom is always political by definition,” said Charles A. Spain, a director at the Flag Research Center. “The president has the ability to just reach out” and lower the flag.“Flag custom is always political by definition,” said Charles A. Spain, a director at the Flag Research Center. “The president has the ability to just reach out” and lower the flag.
The president previously issued a proclamation for flags to be lowered on the day that the Rev. Billy Graham was buried early this year. Mr. Trump made the proclamation on Feb. 21, and Mr. Graham was buried in early March.The president previously issued a proclamation for flags to be lowered on the day that the Rev. Billy Graham was buried early this year. Mr. Trump made the proclamation on Feb. 21, and Mr. Graham was buried in early March.
Flag policy has been a priority for Mr. Trump, even before he was president. Mr. Trump has attacked players in the National Football League who kneel during the playing of the national anthem in a silent protest for civil rights, saying their actions were disrespectful to the flag and the United States military.Flag policy has been a priority for Mr. Trump, even before he was president. Mr. Trump has attacked players in the National Football League who kneel during the playing of the national anthem in a silent protest for civil rights, saying their actions were disrespectful to the flag and the United States military.
Former President Barack Obama issued a proclamation that American flags fly at half-staff a day after Senator Edward M. Kennedy died in August 2009. Mr. Obama ordered that the flags remain at half-staff for four days.Former President Barack Obama issued a proclamation that American flags fly at half-staff a day after Senator Edward M. Kennedy died in August 2009. Mr. Obama ordered that the flags remain at half-staff for four days.
And in 2015, Mr. Trump criticized then-President Barack Obama for not lowering the flags soon enough after the shooting in Chattanooga, Tenn., where five military members were killed. Mr. Obama issued a proclamation in honor of the Chattanooga victims after Republicans criticized his inaction.And in 2015, Mr. Trump criticized then-President Barack Obama for not lowering the flags soon enough after the shooting in Chattanooga, Tenn., where five military members were killed. Mr. Obama issued a proclamation in honor of the Chattanooga victims after Republicans criticized his inaction.
Mr. Trump, however, was similarly criticized earlier this summer for his delay in honoring the victims of a shooting in a newsroom in Annapolis, Md. Days after the shooting, Mr. Trump called for flags to be flown at half-staff.Mr. Trump, however, was similarly criticized earlier this summer for his delay in honoring the victims of a shooting in a newsroom in Annapolis, Md. Days after the shooting, Mr. Trump called for flags to be flown at half-staff.