Donald Trump reportedly complained that the coverage of Senator John McCain’s death was “over-the-top” and that it distracted from his recent trade deal with Mexico.
The reported comments came as the president lowered the flags again at the White House in honor of the late Arizona congressman. They were initially lowered on Saturday but had been returned to full height by Monday morning.
Staff at the White House claim they had to urge Trump for two days to put out a kind word about McCain, who passed away on Saturday after a year-long battle with brain cancer, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.
When the president did put out a statement on Monday it read that despite their political differences he still respected 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.”
In the statement, the president also announced that he would not be attending any of the funeral services for McCain, instead sending White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, national security adviser John Bolton and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to the memorials.