White House Lowers Flag Again After McCain Flap: Report

UPDATE 3:54 p.m.: The White House reportedly has once again lowered the flag to half staff. However, the flag atop the Executive Office Building remains at full staff.

Original story:

WASHINGTON, DC -- The White House lowered the flags to half staff in honor of recently deceased Sen. John McCain over the weekend. But by Monday, they were back at full staff -- breaking with tradition, according to a report.

NBC 4 reports that while flags at the U.S. Capitol remained at half staff Monday after McCain died Saturday of brain cancer, the White House flags had been returned to full staff.

President Trump, who had clashed with McCain repeatedly during his time in office and was not invited to McCain's funeral, offered condolences on Twitter to McCain's family but not McCain himself, and he did not issue a presidential proclamation ordering the flags to be lowered.

NBC 4 reports that U.S. Flag Code calls for flags to be lowered on the day of death and the following day for a Member of Congress, which was observed in this case. But presidents have issued proclamations in the past to have flags remain at half staff until the burial of U.S. senator who dies in office. President Obama did that for Sen. Ted Kennedy when he died in 2009.

House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) reportedly has said the Capitol will observe this tradition.

Trump and McCain's feud began on the campaign trail when Trump mocked the senator for being captured during the Vietnam War. McCain, for his part, rescinded his support for Trump during the campaign after the Access Hollywood tape came out, was frequently critical of Trump for not taking a stronger stance against the Russian government, and dramatically killed Trump's attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act with his thumbs-down gesture.

WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 26: The American flag flies at half staff over the White House honoring Senator John McCain on August 26, 2018 in Washington, D.C. Senator McCain was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2017 and passed away on August 25, 2018. (Photo by Pete Marovich-Pool/Getty Images)