Last Monday, President Donald Trump faced major scrutiny for having the White House flag flying full-staff following the passing of decorated war veteran, Sen. John McCain, on Saturday.
While the White House followed the U.S. Flag Code by flying the flag at half-staff on the day of a member of Congress’ death and the following day, it was raised on Monday when it should have remained at half-staff until McCain’s burial to honor his service to our country.
It is commonplace for presidents to issue a proclamation to keep the flag flying at half-staff after a notable American passes away until the person’s interment. McCain’s long history of service to the U.S. surely afforded him that, and Trump should have given McCain this honor. Instead, he did him a disservice by not doing this until facing backlash.
McCain gave the United States a lifetime of service, and although I have many political disagreements with him, he is an American hero and deserves to be treated like one. McCain fought for our country in the Vietnam War, during which he was captured and was held as a prisoner of war for over five years. When offered early release because of his father’s high rank in the military, McCain refused because they wouldn’t grant any of his fellow countrymen release.
After his nearly 25 years of service in the military, McCain went on to serve for over 30 years in Congress for the state of Arizona.
While Trump finally issued an official statement regarding McCain’s passing, it was only after facing heavy scrutiny for the lack of attention he was giving the matter.
He raised the flag, refused to answer press questions about McCain and before the late response, had only tweeted his sympathies to the senator’s family. It was distasteful for the president to look over McCain’s death like this.
So, why did he?
Well, for one, Trump and McCain were practically archenemies throughout the last few years. While McCain fired first by denouncing Trump’s immigration ideas and saying he was “firing up the crazies,” Trump hit McCain hard by saying he wasn’t a war hero. Instead, Trump said he liked “people that weren’t captured.”
This is just a small sample of the quarrelling between the two. It was no revelation that the two didn’t get along, but all the differences should have been set aside during this time. Yes, Trump disliked McCain, but he should have respected all he has done for our country.
Trump had a chance to show a lot of character and dignity, and he botched it.
He should have risen and put his personal disagreements to the side. He should have taken the initiative and released a statement and proclamation immediately following the senator’s death to give him the respect he deserves. His lack of action has brought him a lot of unnecessary controversy that could have been easily avoided had he not been so juvenile about the situation.
I’m glad Trump reversed course and made it right by lowering the flag. I just wish he wouldn’t have faltered to begin with. Trump could have capitalized on showing well-deserved respect to one of the United States’ most notable modern American heroes, who was well-liked on both sides of the aisle. Not only would it have been a generally popular and respectable thing to do, but it would have also made Trump look more mature and less petty.
Michael Jones is a senior in business at Auburn, the communications director for the Auburn College Republicans and a contributor to The Lone Conservative, a conservative blog focusing on college issues.
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