US President Donald Trump made a rare concession when he ordered the US flag on the White House to return to half-mast following John McCain's death.
Mr Trump bowed to pressure from politicians and veterans groups after he returned the US flag to its usual position after only a day at half-mast.
The Wall Street Journal reports that White House officials urged Mr Trump to put out a full statement about McCain following his death from brain cancer but he resisted.
They said he viewed the press coverage of the former senator and prisoner-of-war's death as "over the top" and more befitting a president, sources told the paper.
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White House press secretary Sarah Sanders was the one who finally convinced Mr Trump to make a statement with the help of chief of staff, John Kelly.
"It was 99 per cent Sarah," the source said.
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Mr Trump put out a brief statement about John McCain following his death on the weekend but failed to mention many of his achievements and merely sent condolences to his family.
Mr Trump also ignored questions about Mr McCain from reporters at a White House event on Monday.
Mr Trump and McCain have had a long-running feud. In 2015 he said McCain wasn't a war hero because he was captured in Vietnam — where he spent five years being tortured as a prisoner-of-war.
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McCain also cast the deciding voted against Mr Trump's plans to repeal ObamaCare.
The senator's body will lie in state in the Arizona State Capitol on Wednesday and a ceremony honouring McCain will be held on Friday at the US Capitol.
On Saturday, another service will see former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama give tributes.
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McCain will be buried at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, where pallbearers will include former Vice President Joe Biden, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and actor Warren Beatty.
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Mr Trump will not attend any of services for McCain.
The White House flag will remain at half-mast until McCain is buried.
McCain's BBF Senator Lindsay Graham gives emotional tribute
McCain's best friend in the Senate, Senator Lindsey Graham, has fought back tears as he gave an emotional tribute to the former POW.
"John taught us how to lose," Senator Graham said. "When you go throughout the world, people remember his concession speech (to Barack Obama) as much as anything else.
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There are so many countries where you can't afford to lose, cause they kill you. ... He healed the nation at a time he was hurt."
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Advertise with NZME.Sen. Graham said he cannot replace McCain but he believes McCain's legacy lives on in Americans.
"It is going to be a lonely journey for me for awhile," he said, given he was always be McCain's side.
"I believe there's a little John McCain in all of us," he said. "And a little John McCain practiced by a lot of people can make this a really great nation."
