Trump orders flag at half-staff in tribute to McCain after delay

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s apparent struggle over how to react publicly to the death of Sen. John McCain — a fierce critic who let it be known he did not want Trump at his funeral — played out on the very roof of the White House Monday.

On Sunday, the White House flew its flag at half-staff, but on Monday morning, as flags around the Capitol flew at half-staff, the White House raised its flag to full staff — a defiant act that drew criticism from the left and right and dominated cable news even after the administration announced a likely trade treaty with Mexico.

Then without notice after 3 p.m., the White House lowered its flag to half-staff again.

Minutes after the flag was lowered, the White House issued a statement in which Trump conceded, “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.”

The statement also announced that Vice President Mike Pence will speak Friday at the U.S. Capitol where McCain’s body will lie in state. Chief of Staff John Kelly, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and National Security Adviser John Bolton will represent the administration at his services on Saturday.

Washington had been waiting for Trump to say something gracious after the Arizona Republican passed away Saturday night.

That evening, Trump tweeted his “deepest sympathies and respect” to the McCain family. But to the shock of many on both sides of the political aisle, Trump included no words of praise for McCain’s valor as a Vietnam prisoner of war, his leadership in the U.S. Senate, or his conspicuous sense of honor in victory and defeat.

Where Trump was silent, Democrats were effusive. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., tweeted over the weekend that he would introduce a resolution to rename the Russell Senate office building after McCain.

The General Services Administration flag policy indicates that government buildings fly flags at half-staff on the day of the death of a senator, as well as the following day. But in a salute to McCain’s titan status, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Schumer asked the Department of Defense to direct government buildings to keep flags at half-staff until sunset on the day of McCain’s interment.

Until Monday afternoon, the White House issued no similar order.

When former first lady Barbara Bush died on April 17, the Trump White House announced it would fly the flag at half-staff until she was laid to rest. She was buried on April 21.

Trump and McCain sparred frequently and publicly, and Trump was the rare Republican to show McCain none of the usual deference the former POW commanded. During a 2015 campaign event in Iowa, Trump said of McCain, “He’s a war hero because he was captured. I like people that weren’t captured, OK?”

McCain shrugged off the comment but suggested Trump owed an apology to the families of those captured in military service.

The Arizona senator, who was running for re-election at the time, supported Trump after won he won the Republican nomination in 2016. But like other GOP elected officials, McCain pulled his support after the release of a 2005 audiotape in which Trump could be heard bragging about grabbing women’s parts.

Later, McCain infuriated Trump when he voted against a measure to repeal President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act. If the maverick Republican had voted for the repeal measure, Trump would have been able to keep his pledge to end Obamacare. Instead, McCain dramatically cast a “thumbs down” vote.

Trump did not waste opportunities for payback. On Aug. 13 when Trump signed the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act, he referred to the $716 billion spending bill as the “National Defense Authorization Act” — without McCain’s name. It was a glaring omission that ignored Congress’ homage to a dying old soldier.

McCain let it be known he did not want Trump to attend his funeral, even as he requested that former Presidents Barack Obama, who beat McCain in the 2008 presidential election, and George W. Bush, who beat him in the 2000 GOP presidential primary, deliver eulogies.

Throughout Monday, as pool reporters pressed Trump to address McCain’s legacy, the president remained tight-lipped.

Former McCain campaign manager Rick Davis, however, held a press conference in Phoenix at which he read McCain’s final words to the public.

They included remarks that appeared to be pointed references to Trump: “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.”

Contact Debra J. Saunders at dsaunders@reviewjournal.com or 202-662-7391. Follow @DebraJSaunders on Twitter.