White House flag flies at full staff as nation honors John McCain
The American flag flying above the White House was at full staff early Monday morning even as the nation continued honoring the life and legacy of Sen. John McCain. The Arizona Republican, whose relationship with President Trump has long been fraught, died on Saturday at the age of 81 after battling brain cancer.
While the White House originally lowered the flag late Saturday evening, White House reporters, including CBS News’ Mark Knoller, noticed that the flag was back at full staff Monday morning:
Knoller notes that Mr. Trump did not issue a formal proclamation on McCain’s death. Typical practice is for flags to remain at half-staff through the day of interment. McCain’s final resting service will take place Sunday at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
Meanwhile, governors from Ohio’s John Kasich to New York’s Andrew Cuomo ordered that public flags in their respective states remain at half-staff to honor McCain. According to Senator Chuck Schumer’s spokesperson, Schumer and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConell also requested the Department of Defense to “provide necessary support so that U.S. flags on all government buildings remain at half mast through sunset” on the day of McCain’s interment.
The senator will lie in state at the Arizona state capitol on Wednesday with his first memorial service taking place in Phoenix on Thursday. Vice President Joe Biden is currently slated to speak.
He will later lie in state at the U.S. Capitol on Friday, with another service taking place in Washington on Saturday, where former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama are expected to speak.
