Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) on Monday asked members of President Trump
Donald John TrumpThe Hill's Morning Report - White House, Congress: Urgency of now around budget GOP presses Trump to make a deal on spending Democrats wary of handing Trump a win on infrastructure MORE's Cabinet to lower the flags outside their respective department buildings to half staff to honor the late Sen. John McCain
John Sidney McCainPelosi receives John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award Romney: Trump 'has distanced himself from some of the best qualities of the human character' MSNBC host: Barr 'the most dangerous person' who works for Trump MORE (R-Ariz.) after White House flags returned to full staff.
Lieu tweeted the same message at three Cabinet officials who served in the military: Secretary of Defense James Mattis
James Norman MattisPentagon reporters left in dark as Iran tensions escalate Trump officials slow-walk president's order to cut off Central American aid: report Overnight Defense — Presented by Huntington Ingalls Industries — Trump nominates Shanahan as Pentagon chief | House panel advances bill to block military funds for border wall | Trump defends Bolton despite differences MORE, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
Michael (Mike) Richard PompeoThe Hill's Morning Report - White House, Congress: Urgency of now around budget Tensions swirl around Iran as administration to brief Congress Overnight Defense: Iran tensions swirl as officials prepare to brief Congress | Trump threatens war would be 'end of Iran' | Graham tells Trump to 'stand firm' | Budget talks begin MORE and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke
Ryan Keith ZinkeInterior's border surge puts more officers in unfamiliar role Not 'if' but 'when' is the next Deepwater Horizon spill? Former Wyoming GOP lawmaker mulling Senate bid to replace Enzi MORE.
"You served on active duty. As a nation mourns McCain, it would be appropriate to lower the flag to half staff at all @StateDept buildings. I respectfully request you give that order, regardless of the views of @realDonaldTrump. It is the honorable thing to do," Lieu tweeted, sending a separate message to each Cabinet official.
Dear @SecPompeo: You served on active duty. As a nation mourns McCain, it would be appropriate to lower the flag to half staff at all @StateDept buildings. I respectfully request you give that order, regardless of the views of @realDonaldTrump. It is the honorable thing to do. https://t.co/yIllKANhMq
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) August 27, 2018
Dear @SecretaryZinke: You served on active duty. As a nation mourns McCain, it would be appropriate to lower the flag to half staff at all @Interior buildings. I respectfully request you give that order, regardless of the views of @realDonaldTrump. It is the honorable thing to do https://t.co/HnxooCDRfP
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) August 27, 2018
Dear #SecDef: You served on active duty. As a nation mourns McCain, it would be appropriate to lower the flag to half staff at all @DeptofDefense buildings. I respectfully request you give that order, regardless of the views of @realDonaldTrump. It is the honorable thing to do. https://t.co/KSHnUuYPPc
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) August 27, 2018
Flags at the White House returned to full staff early Monday, less than 48 hours after McCain died.
Several reporters and commentators quickly noted that flags in the past have remained lowered to honor lawmakers and major public figures until their funerals.
Joe Heim, a Washington Post reporter, posted a photo on Twitter showing that the flag outside the Department of Energy remained at half staff on Monday morning, while the flag just down the road at the Department of Agriculture was back at full staff.
Even the cabinet is closed confused about honoring McCain. Flag at Energy is half staff. At Agriculture, across the street, flag is at full staff. pic.twitter.com/gs0fr85kcr
— Joe Heim (@JoeHeim) August 27, 2018
McCain died Saturday at age 81 a little more than a year after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer. Even after his diagnosis, he remained one of Trump's most outspoken Republican critics.
McCain reportedly did not want Trump to attend his funeral, instead requesting that former Presidents Obama and George W. Bush deliver eulogies.
During the 2016 campaign, Trump ridiculed McCain's status as a war hero. In recent months, Trump has regularly chided McCain over his decision to vote against a GOP effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act, effectively killing the measure.
Trump reportedly nixed a draft statement from the White House calling McCain a "hero" after the senator's death. Trump instead issued a tweet offering his sympathies to McCain's family.
A number of other administration officials issued their own statements via Twitter, including Pompeo, Vice President Pence, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway
Kellyanne Elizabeth ConwayDem criticizes newest calendars for Trump Interior chief as 'fake' Bush economics director says psychiatrists labeled Trump 'total narcissist' Hatch Act complaints jumped nearly 30 percent Trump's first year in office: report MORE and Trump's attorney, Rudy Giuliani.
McCain, a former naval aviator, is scheduled to lie in the Arizona Capitol on Wednesday and then the U.S. Capitol on Friday. He will be buried at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., on Sunday.
