Hatch on White House delaying McCain statement: ‘That should not have happened’

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) says a White House statement honoring the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) should not have been delayed. 

“That should not have happened. That should have been automatic,” he told The New York Times. “You just do things that are sensible and sensitive.”

McCain, a Vietnam-era war hero and senator since 1987, died Saturday afternoon, a year after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer. He was 81 years old.

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McCain’s family announced he would stop medical treatment on Friday and, unlike many lawmakers and former officials on both sides of the aisle, Trump did not issue a statement. Following McCain’s death, some criticized the president for a lack of respect for the senator whom Trump had criticized numerous times.

While the White House flag was lowered to half-staff, it was returned to the top of the flagpole Monday. Flags are typically lowered to half-staff until a member of Congress’s burial. The flag was returned to half-staff later in the day. 

The president sent out a tweet Saturday saying, “My deepest sympathies and respect go out to the family of Senator John McCain. Our hearts and prayers are with you!”

My deepest sympathies and respect go out to the family of Senator John McCain. Our hearts and prayers are with you!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 25, 2018

Trump released an official White House statement on Monday, two days after the senator’s death. 

“Despite our differences on policy and politics, I respect Senator John McCain’s service to our country,” the statement 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.”

Trump and McCain were frequent critics of each other. The president during his campaign infamously said McCain was “not a war hero” because he was captured during the Vietnam War and often slammed the senator’s vote against repealing the Affordable Care Act.

McCain, in turn, criticized the president’s policies on domestic and foreign affairs.

The senator’s office released a final message from McCain that referenced “these challenging times.”

“When we confuse our patriotism with tribal rivalries that have sown resentment and hatred and violence in all the corners of the globe,” he said.

“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.”

McCain is being honored on both sides of the aisle for his life and years of service. His body will lie in state in the Capitol. Two former presidents will speak at his funeral, which Trump will not attend.