White House flags return to full staff less than 48 hours after McCain’s death

Flags at the White House returned to full staff on Monday after they were lowered following the death of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) late Saturday.

Several reporters arriving at the White House early Monday noted that the flags were at half staff for less than 48 hours following the Senate giant’s death. President Trump ordered the flags lowered on Saturday evening.

A number of reporters and commentators noted that in the past flags remained lowered to honor lawmakers and major public figures until their funerals.

As the nation remembers John McCain, the flags at the White House are not at half staff. pic.twitter.com/9D32OH6YZa

— Jonathan Karl (@jonkarl) August 27, 2018

Flags at the White House were lowered to half staff this weekend for the passing of John McCain but this morning they are back to full staff.

There was no official proclamation from President Trump (as he has done in the past for other notable figures passing) pic.twitter.com/rmUO6xbtrp

— Karen Travers (@karentravers) August 27, 2018

Flag back at full staff atop WH. Pres Trump did not issue proclamation on the death of @SenJohnMcCain, which usually calls for flags to remain at half-staff through the day of interment, which is Sunday at the @NavalAcademy. pic.twitter.com/NGasNPT0VB

— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) August 27, 2018

The flags were returned to half staff shortly before 4 p.m. Monday, and Trump issued a proclamation noting McCain’s death a short time later.

{mosads}McCain died Saturday at age 81 following a yearlong battle with an aggressive form of brain cancer. Even after his diagnosis, he remained one of Trump’s most outspoken Republican critics.

McCain reportedly did not want Trump to attend his funeral, instead requesting that former Presidents Obama and George W. Bush deliver eulogies.

During the 2016 campaign, Trump ridiculed McCain’s status as a war hero. He continued to chide the senator after his cancer diagnosis, frequently noting at rallies and speaking engagements that McCain voted “no” to kill a GOP effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

Trump reportedly nixed a draft statement from the White House calling McCain a “hero” after the senator’s death. Trump instead issued a tweet offering his sympathies to McCain’s family.

A number of other administration officials issued their own statements via Twitter, including Vice President Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway and Trump’s attorney Rudy Giuliani.

McCain is scheduled to lie in the Arizona Capitol on Wednesday and then the U.S. Capitol on Friday. He will be buried at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., on Sunday.

–Updated at 4:13 p.m.