The White House hasn’t done much (or anything?) to honor the victims of coronavirus, but top Democratic leaders helped change that. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) sent a letter to Donald Trump “requesting his Administration prepare to fly flags at half staff on all public buildings in the country on the heartbreaking day America’s COVID-19 death toll reaches 100,000 lives.  The letter comes as the United States reaches nearly 94,000 American lives lost to the coronavirus pandemic.” 

Pelosi and Schumer wrote:

“Respectful of them and the loss to our country, we are writing to request that you order flags to be flown at half staff on all public buildings in our country on the sad day of reckoning when we reach 100,000 deaths.  It would serve as a national expression of grief so needed by everyone in our country.”

Here is the full letter.

Update: Late Thursday, Trump complied with the request.

Our hearts are broken over the great loss of Americans to COVID-19. Our prayers are with their families.@SpeakerPelosi & I made the request of Pres. Trump to lower flags to half staff to honor those lost

It will serve as a national expression of grief so needed in our country https://t.co/kxFco5Q6o0

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) May 22, 2020