Despite Sen.John McCainand PresidentDonald Trump‘s rocky history, the war hero and longtime politician did notprohibit Trump from attending his funeral, according to a McCain family source.
“John had a feud with the president, and it got pretty intense, but I never heard anyone in the family say John banned Trump, and he never said that to me,” the source tells PEOPLE. “John didn’t ban Trump. John could be spiteful, and he loved a good fight, but he wouldn’t do something like that.”
A second family source adds: “I didn’t hear John say it. But I wouldn’t be surprised if John didn’t want Trump there.”
Sen. McCain, whodied of brain cancerat age 81 on Saturday, “will be laid to rest at the U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery in Annapolis, Maryland,” according to hisofficial website, which notes the funeral schedule will be announced at a later time.
Before his death, Sen. McCain asked that former presidentsBarack ObamaandGeorge W. Bushspeak at his funeral,according to CBS News. TheNew YorkTimesreported that two unnamed Republicans familiar with the funeral plans indicated former presidentsBarack ObamaandGeorge W. Bushhave already been requested to offer eulogies, while Vice PresidentMike Pence— not PresidentDonald Trump, whopublicly disparagedMcCain on numerous occasions — is expected to attend.
Meanwhile, former Vice PresidentJoe Bidenwill reportedly speak at an Arizona service in Sen. McCain’s honor.
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Of reports thatMelania Trumpwill be attending services for Sen. McCain, a spokeswoman for First Lady tells PEOPLE, “We have made no announcements so any reports you are seeing did not come from our office.”
Trump and Sen. McCain publicly were at odds several times over recent years. In 2015, Trump criticized Sen. McCain’s military service. “He’s not a war hero,” Trump said, referring to thefive and a half years Sen. McCain spent fighting for his life as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam. “He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured.”
After a hot mic tape of Trump bragging about sexually assaulting women was leaked, McCain withdrew his endorsement and announced in a statement that hewould not vote for Trump— nor his opponent, Hillary Clinton — in the 2016 presidential election.
He added, “Cindy and I will not vote for Donald Trump. I have never voted for a Democratic presidential candidate and we will not vote for Hillary Clinton. We will write in the name of some good conservative Republican who is qualified to be president.”
Last year, Sen. McCainvoted noon Republicans’ efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, and this year, Trump seemed toavoid talk of Sen. McCain’s terminal health.
After McCain’s family announced he wouldno longer be seeking medical treatmentforstage-four brain canceron Friday, Trump was not among the politicians from both sides of the aisle to send his well wishes — he did, however,give shout outstoKim KardashianandKanye Westat a fundraising dinner for the Ohio Republican Party in Columbus Friday evening.
“Kanye West has some real power! And he’s got a good wife too in Kim, I’ll tell ya. She really is. She did a great thing, a great thing,” he continued, referencing how hepardoned Alice Marie Johnsonfollowing theKeeping Up with the Kardashiansreality star’s months-long campaign.
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In another apparent snub from the president,flags at the White Househave returned to full-staff less than two days after Sen. McCain’s death. According to theU.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, “the flag is to be flown at half-staff … on the day and day after the death of a United States senator, representative,” or other leaders. However, in order to keep the White House flags at half-staff in honor of Sen. McCain longer, Trump would need to issue a proclamation, which he has not done. (The White House did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.)
Trump’s lack of action breaks with precedent. When Sen.Ted Kennedydied in 2009 and Sen. Daniel Inouyedied in 2012, Obama asked in both cases that flags remain at half-staff “until sunset on the day of his interment,” which has not yet arrived for Sen. McCain, NBC News noted.
Trump shared a tweet addressing McCain’s death on Saturday. “My deepest sympathies and respect go out to the family of Senator John McCain. Our hearts and prayers are with you!” he wrote.
source: people.com
