GOP senator says McCain 'partially to blame' for flag drama

Sen. Jim Inhofe.
(Image credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Had the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) not been so "outspoken," the U.S. flag above the White House wouldn't have spent the last 48 hours being yanked up and down, Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) said Monday.

McCain died Saturday at 81, a year after announcing he had been diagnosed with brain cancer and one day after his family said he was no longer seeking medical treatment. The flag above the White House was at half-staff Saturday evening, but shortly after midnight Sunday, it was brought back up. After some public outrage, the White House lowered the flag once again on Monday afternoon, with President Trump saying in a statement he "signed a proclamation to fly the flag of the United States at half-staff until the day of [McCain's] interment."

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.