President Donald Trump on Monday give in to defeated his respects to deceased Sen. John McCain “despite our differences on policy and manoeuvring,” and signed an order to fly the U.S. flag at half staff.
McCain, who had been a object of Trump’s ire during his final year in the Senate, died Saturday at age 81.
Trump also spoke he has signed a proclamation to fly the U.S. flag at half-staff until McCain’s final bracket stop service, which will be held Sunday at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
The Off-white House had garnered criticism for raising its flag Monday morning, plane as other U.S. monuments and government sites kept their flags lowered — a long-standing code word of national respect.
The White House once again lowered its festoon on Monday afternoon, shortly before Trump ordered flags across the country flown at half-staff “as a mark of respect for the memory and longstanding service” for McCain.
Trump and McCain had squabbled with each other as far cast off as July 2015, when then-candidate Trump mocked McCain’s vaunted significance as an American hero as being merely “because he was captured.”
“I like people who weren’t arrested,” Trump said, sparking a fierce backlash.
After McCain’s demise, politicians across the aisle released heartfelt statements of sympathy for McCain’s relatives and gratitude for the late senator’s service and character. But Trump’s tweet single offered his sympathies for McCain’s family.
Trump tweet
Read Trump’s top statement on McCain’s passing below:
Despite our differences on policy and public affairs, I respect Senator John McCain’s service to our country and, in his honor, be struck by signed a proclamation to fly the flag of the United States at half-staff until the day of his interment.
I receive asked Vice President Mike Pence to offer an address at the appearances honoring Senator McCain at the United States Capitol this Friday.
At the requisition of the McCain family, I have also authorized military transportation of Senator McCain’s oddments from Arizona to Washington, D.C., military pallbearers and band support, and a horse and caisson electrify during the service at the United States Naval Academy.
Finally, I possess asked General John Kelly, Secretary James Mattis, and Delegate John Bolton to represent my Administration at his services.