The White House and U.S. Capitol both lowered flags to half-staff by Tuesday afternoon, after they were out of sync Tuesday in their tributes to the five U.S. service members who were slain by a gunman in Chattanooga last week.

According to CNN, House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky announced Tuesday that flags at the Capitol would be lowered to half-staff in honor of the victims. 

"Out of respect for their courageous service and sacrifice to our nation, flags at the U.S. Capitol are being lowered to half-staff," Boehner said in a statement.

But at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, the flags at the White House noticeably remained at full-staff. Aides to the president have repeatedly declined to discuss whether the flags at the White House would be similarly lowered. Boehner's office said Tuesday they had alerted the White House of their plans.

Republican critics demanded the White House immediately follow the Capitol's lead, and Obama eventually ordered flags to be flown at half-staff at the White House in the noon hour Tuesday.

"Our thoughts and prayers as a nation are with the service members killed last week in Chattanooga. We honor their service. We offer our gratitude to the police officers and first responders who stopped the rampage and saved lives," the president's statement read.