After hours of silence, Trump tweeted that he was 'saddened to hear the news' of John Lewis' death

• President Donald Trump finally addressed the death of Rep. John Lewis on Saturday afternoon, hours after it was first announced.
• "Saddened to hear the news of civil rights hero John Lewis passing. Melania and I send our prayers to he and his family," he tweeted.
• Earlier on Saturday, Trump ordered the White House to lower the flags on US official buildings to honor Lewis.

President Donald Trump finally addressed the passing of Rep. John Lewis on Saturday afternoon, hours after the lawmaker's death was officially announced.

Lewis, a driving force in the civil rights movement, died Friday at age 80, after months of battling pancreatic cancer.

As a number of other lawmakers, leaders, and prominent political figures paid tribute and respect for Lewis on social media following the announcement, Trump did not immediately express his condolences.

On Saturday morning Trump ordered flags to be lowered to honor Lewis, Insider's Ellen Cranley reported.

On Saturday afternoon, Trump finally tweeted, "Saddened to hear the news of civil rights hero John Lewis passing. Melania and I send our prayers to he and his family."

• Read more:
• How Democrats plan to find a replacement for John Lewis on November's ballot by Monday
• Marco Rubio confused Rep. John Lewis for another late black lawmaker in a tweet honoring the 'historic American hero'
• President Obama mourns the death of longtime civil rights leader John Lewis: 'We now all have our marching orders'
• Nancy Pelosi, Bill and Hillary Clinton, and more mourn the death of civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis, who died at 80