- John Kelly warned Trump when he refused the flags to be lowered in memory of John McCain’s passing.
- Kelly advised Trump to reconsider his decision because people would “piss” on him grave, according a forthcoming book.
- Trump raised flags at full staff until he was forced to give in by the parties.
Former White House chief of staff John Kelly told Donald Trump that the public would be mad at him if he did not honor John McCain’s passing by ordering flags to be reduced to half-mast.
Kelly stated to Trump, “If you don’t support John McCain’s burial, when you die the public will come up to your grave and piss off on it,” according to Susan Glasser (journalist) and Peter Baker (autobiography).
It is customary for the president to issue a proclamation to require flags to be lower to half-staff at the funeral of high-ranking US figures and officials. In 2018, after McCain’s death from brain cancer, Trump sent a tweet expressing his sympathy, but keeping flags at full-staff. reported.
—Mark Knoller (@markknoller) August 27, 2018,
Axios reportedKelly was furious about this move.
Trump’s feud with McCain has been widely criticized. McCain’s military service was criticized by Trump during his campaign for the 2016 presidential race. A “dummy” and a “loser”.
Trump laughed and said “He’s certainly not a war-hero” Trump mockingly said, “He’s not a war hero because that’s what he did.” People that were not captured are my favorite.
Trump also signed a 2018 national defense bill, which had been named after McCain. He didn’t mention his identity once. McCain was one Trump’s most outspoken critics in the area of national defense.
Upon McCain’s death, Trump had reportedly Rejected a statementWritten by McCain’s aides, which praised McCain as TributesFrom politicians to military personnel and journalists, they came flooding in.
American Legion, an American veterans charity, criticised Trump’s flag raising. Encourage him to “make an appropriate presidential proclamation noting Senator McCain’s death and legacy of service to our nation, and that our nation’s flag be half-staffed through his interment.”
The flag was also called down by both the Republican and Democratic parties, including Sens. Mitch McConnell, a Republican; Chuck Schumer is a Democrat.
Trump was eventually forced to lower the flag at half-staff by public pressure.
“Despite our differences on policy and politics, I respect Senator John McCain’s service to our country 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 said in a statement.
