Even after Sen. John McCain’s death, President Trump has made no secret of his disdain for the American hero. Hours after McCain succumbed to cancer on Saturday, Trump nixed a White House statement that called the senator a “hero,” instead offering a single, anodyne tweet that conspicuously eschewed any personal praise.
This morning, there was visual evidence of Trump’s contempt. The White House had lowered its flag to half staff on Sunday, but shortly after midnight, it was back at full staff, in a clear break with precedent — which dictates that it be lowered until burial — and the U.S. flag code.
Trump ignored questions about McCain and the flag when asked by reporters this morning. McCain was one of few Republicans in Congress who pushed back against Trump and publicly criticized his style of leadership.
One veterans’ group, VoteVets, criticized Trump over the situation. “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 today.
Trump, unsurprisingly, is doing what he can to be noticed during a week of Americans paying their respect to McCain.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) in response asked for the Defense Department’s help in lowering American flags to half-staff on all government buildings until McCain is buried this weekend.
The flags atop the U.S. Capitol building and those surrounding the Washington Monument remained at half-staff Monday.
UPDATE: Without comment, the White House re-lowered the American flag late Monday afternoon.
