President Donald Trump's decision to re-lower the American flag in honor of deceased senator John McCain "was 99 percent Sarah" Huckabee Sanders's doing, an official said following the debacle after the flag above the White House was raised after less than 48 hours.
Trump said on Monday that the flag should remain lowered until the senator's interment at the end of the week, after criticism of the flag being lowered just two days after McCain's death on Saturday.
In a statement, the president acknowledged that he and McCain had not always seen eye-to-eye but said he would keep the flag lowered nonetheless.
"Despite our differences on policy and politics, I respect Sen. 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's statement on the issue read.
According to an official who spoke with The Wall Street Journal, the motivation behind keeping the flag lowered "was 99 percent Sarah" Huckabee Sanders, with the help of White House chief of staff John Kelly, who encouraged the president to sign a proclamation to keep the flag lowered for McCain.
Huckabee Sanders confirmed that she would be attending the senator's funeral, which will take place on Saturday at the National Cathedral, describing McCain as "an American hero," The Hill reported.
However, President Trump will not be attending the service, instead sending several members of his administration in his place.
The president's decision not to attend the service comes alongside rumors that McCain himself did not wish Trump to attend—the pair having had a volatile relationship since Trump's inauguration.
Indeed, McCain even appeared to take a final shot at the president in his last letter to America, when he urged people not to be torn apart by tribal politics or to hide behind walls, in comments that were largely believed to be aimed at the president.
"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," he said in the letter.
Unlike the incumbent president, former presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush will not only be attending the funeral, but will deliver eulogies, at McCain's request.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
