Before his death on Saturday, Arizona Senator John McCain penned a farewell statement to thank the nation and his fellow citizens for the opportunity to serve the country, and to say goodbye to those now mourning his loss.

The statement was read by his spokesman, Rick Davis, on Monday in Arizona, where the late senator had been receiving treatment for a brain tumour he was diagnosed as having last year. Mr McCain, known in the political press for his self-stylisation as a maverick, announced he would no longer continue receiving treatment last week.

In the text, the late senator described a rich and full life before seeking to define the nation he had served for decades. He argued for civility in the country, and urged Americans to keep up vigorous debates to settle disputes, but not to confuse tribalism for patriotism, in what appears to be a subtle rebuke of Donald Trump's divisive presidency that has seen an increasingly fractured and polarised debate.

Read the full remarks from the two-time presidential candidate who became a vocal critic of Mr Trump in full below.

My fellow Americans, whom I have gratefully served for sixty years, and especially my fellow Arizonans,

Thank you for the privilege of serving you and for the rewarding life that service in uniform and in public office has allowed me to lead. I have tried to serve our country honourably. I have made mistakes, but I hope my love for America will be weighed favorably against them.

John McCain dead: Hearse and police motocade leave the family ranch

I have often observed that I am the luckiest person on earth. I feel that way even now as I prepare for the end of my life. I have loved my life, all of it. I have had experiences, adventures and friendships enough for ten satisfying lives, and I am so thankful. Like most people, I have regrets. But I would not trade a day of my life, in good or bad times, for the best day of anyone else's.

I owe that satisfaction to the love of my family. No man ever had a more loving wife or children he was prouder of than I am of mine. And I owe it to America. To be connected to America's causes — liberty, equal justice, respect for the dignity of all people — brings happiness more sublime than life's fleeting pleasures. Our identities and sense of worth are not circumscribed but enlarged by serving good causes bigger than ourselves.

John McCain: US Senator in pictures Show all 40 1 /40 John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2000 John McCain waves to crowds at The University of Portland in Oregon. McCain was campaigning for Republican nominee George W. Bush AFP/Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 1967 Senator John Mccain In A Hanoi Hospital During The Vietnam War November, 1967 Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 1993 John McCain, a former POW, looks at a display of personal belongings of American POWs at the joint POW/MIA archives center in the Hanoi Army Museum AFP/Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 1999 Republican Senator John McCain announces his official bid for the 2000 White House in Nashua, New Hampshire. Evoking five years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, McCain highlighted his own sacrifice and his 17-year record of public service in the US Congress AFP/Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 1999 Republican presidential candidate John McCain poses with an A-4 jet -- similar to the one which he was piloting when he was shot down during the Vietnam War -- on the deck of the USS Intrepid aircraft carrier in New York. McCain, who flew off of the Intrepid during the Vietnam War, but was not on it when he was shot down, was at the Intrepid to receive the 1999 Intrepid Freedom Award AFP/Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2000 Republican presidential hopeful John McCain answers questions at a news conference in New York AFP/Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2000 US Arizona Senator and Republican Presidential hopeful John McCain smiles as he speaks on the phone during a radio show interview from his hotel room in Los Angeles AFP/Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2000 US Arizona Senator and Republican presidential hopeful John McCain reacts to cheers from the crowd after speaking in a rally at the Santa Clara University on the eve of the multi-state SuperTuesday primaries AFP/Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2000 US Senator John McCain (R-AZ) smiles as he is interviewed on WGIR-AM radio in Manchester as he campaigns to become the Republican candidate for president of the United States AFP/Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2002 John McCain on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2004 Senator John McCain speaks at the Victor Awards in Las Vegas Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2008 US Senators Joe Lieberman, Lindsey Graham, John McCain and former senator Phil Gramm watch the Super Bowl at the Hyatt Regency Boston. McCain was leading in most polls over rival contender former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney before the biggest "Super Tuesday" in American history Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2009 John McCain shakes hands with Dorothy Cross, great niece of the first African American heavyweight boxing champion John Arthur "Jack" Johnson. McCain and Peter King introduced a resolution calling on President Barack Obama to posthumously pardon Johnson, who was a victim of what is widely regarded as a racially motivated conviction in 1913 for violating a law prohibiting taking women across state lines for "immoral purposes" Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2009 John McCain delivers remarks at the John Hopkins University Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, DC. McCain spoke on "Why Freedom Still Matters" and "Human Rights and Foreign Policy." Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2010 John McCain with veteran Richard Philippi at VFW Post #1677 during a campaign stop in Casa Grande, Arizona Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2010 Cindy and John McCain during the Western Conference finals of the NBA Playoffs between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center in Arizona. The Lakers defeated the Suns 111-103 Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2010 John McCain speaks to a group of supporters alongside his wife Cindy at his victory party after winning Arizona's primary election in 2010 Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2010 Senate Armed Services Committee ranking member US Sen. John McCain stands in an elevator on Capitol Hill. The US Senate is debating a the New START, Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, and is expected to vote on it before the end of the 111th Congress's lame duck session Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2010 U2 frontman Bono and John McCain talk during the 2010 Atlantic Council awards dinner at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Washington, DC Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2011 US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta greets ranking member John McCain before a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee Panetta and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Michael Mullen testified before the committee on US strategy in Afghanistan and Iraq Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2011 US President Barack Obama speaks prior to signing the John M. Roll United States Courthouse Bill into law in the Oval Office of the White House as Homeland Security Secretary and former Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, Senator John McCain, Chief of Staff to Rep. Gabrielle Giffords Pia Carusone, Rep. Ed Pastor, and Rep. Trent Franks look on. President Obama signed the bill to name a new federal courthouse in Yuma, Arizona, after federal Judge John M. Roll, who was gunned down during the shooting rampage in Tucson, Arizona Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2012 Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney talks with former presidential nominee US Sen. John McCain on Romney's campaign bus with Press Secretary Andrea Saul in between events near Manchester, New Hampshire. McCain announced his endorsement of Romney the day after Romney beat former US Senator Rick Santorum by only eight votes in "first in the nation" Iowa Caucuses Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2012 John McCain rides on the Senate subway after participating in a news conference on Capitol Hill. McCain joined Senate Foreign Relations Chairman John Kerry as he urged fellow Senators to approve the "Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities bill, an international agreement for protecting the rights of individuals with disabilities Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2012 John McCain speaks to members of the media after a hearing on the Benghazi attack before the Select Committee on Intelligence in Washington, DC. Former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director David Petraeus testified before the committee about the September 11 attacks on the American diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, that killed Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2012 John McCain turns to greet Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Mario Diaz-Balart during a campaign visit to support Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney at the Bay of Pigs Museum and Library of the 2506 Assault Brigade in the Little Havana neighborhood in Miami, Florida. McCain took the time to rally people behind Romney and to encourage them to go out and vote Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2012 John McCain speaks during an interview in his Russell Senate Office Building office on Capitol Hill. McCain said he wanted a solid NATO-Afghanistan accord sealed at a summit, ensuring critical post-2014 US involvement in the region rather than "looming international abandonment." AFP/Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2013 US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Sen. John McCain joke and embrace before Sen. John Kerry's confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to become the next Secretary of State in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2013 John McCain testifies before a Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearing on the state of video, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The committee discussed unbundling cable services and the impact of changing technology, among other topics Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2013 John McCain, Meghan McCain and Jimmy McCain attend "Raising McCain" Series New York Premiere at Tribeca Cinemas in New York Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2013 Prince Harry is accompanied by US Senator John McCain as he tours a Senate photo exhibit on landmines and unexploded ordnances in the Rotunda of Russell Senate Office Building in Washington, DC. Prince Harry was in the US on a week long visit AFP/Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2013 US Senator John McCain speaks during a mass rally of the opposition in Independence Square in Kiev. McCain told more than 200,000 EU supporters rallying in Kiev that Washington backed their desire for European integration. "To all Ukraine, America stands with you," he called out to the cheering crowd. "The free world is with you, America is with you, I am with you... Ukraine will make Europe better and Europe will make Ukraine better." AFP/Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2013 US Senators Lindsey Graham and John McCain meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, Israel GPO/Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2014 John McCain hugs Debbie Valle after speaking at a forum at the Burton Barr Central Library in Phoenix, Arizona. McCain met with Arizona Veterans to discuss mismanagement of Veterans Affairs Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2014 John McCain and wife Cindy attend a MLB game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona. Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures PHOENIX, AZ - NOVEMBER 08: Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), center, and his wife Cindy (R) greet supporters after casting their vote at the Mountain View Christian Church polling place on November 8, 2016 in Phoenix, Arizona. Throughout the country, millions of Americans are casting their votes today for either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump to become the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images) Ralph Freso Getty Images John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2015 WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 05: Sen. John McCain (L) (R-AZ) and Sir Elton John, Founder, Elton John AIDS Foundation, pose for a photo before an Elton John AIDS Foundation and The ONE Campaign hosted reception on global HIV/AIDS funding at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center on May 5, 2015 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for EJAF) Paul Morigi Getty/EJAF John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2017 Senator Amy Klobuchar takes a selfie with Senator Chris Van Hollen, Senator John McCain and Senator Bernie Sanders on the West Front of the US Capitol in Washington, DC at Donal Trump's inauguration ceremony. He became the 45th president of the United States Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2017 Sen. John McCain gives a thumbs up to well wishers as he gets into his car at the US Capitol. McCain was recently diagnosed with brain cancer but returned on the day the Senate is holding a key procedural vote on US President Donald Trump's effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2017 US Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley greets Sen. John McCain during a special Twilight Tattoo performance at Fort Myer in Arlington, Virginia. McCain was honored with the Outstanding Civilian Service Medal for over 63 years of dedicated service to the nation and the US Navy Getty John McCain: US Senator in pictures John McCain - 2017 John McCain arrives at Capitol Hill. Donald Trump's tax reform plan has overcome pockets of resistance within Republican ranks, US senators said, setting up a vote that could provide the president with his first major legislative victory."We have the votes," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters as he entered the chamber AFP/Getty

Fellow Americans' — that association has meant more to me than any other. I lived and died a proud American. We are citizens of the world's greatest republic, a nation of ideals, not blood and soil. We are blessed and are a blessing to humanity when we uphold and advance those ideals at home and in the world. We have helped liberate more people from tyranny and poverty than ever before in history. We have acquired great wealth and power in the process.

We weaken our greatness when we confuse our patriotism with tribal rivalries that have sown resentment and hatred and violence in all the corners of the globe. We weaken it when we hide behind walls, rather than tear them down, when we doubt the power of our ideals, rather than trust them to be the great force for change they have always been.

We are three-hundred-and-twenty-five million opinionated, vociferous individuals. We argue and compete and sometimes even vilify each other in our raucous public debates. But we have always had so much more in common with each other than in disagreement. If only we remember that and give each other the benefit of the presumption that we all love our country we will get through these challenging times. We will come through them stronger than before. We always do.

Ten years ago, I had the privilege to concede defeat in the election for president. I want to end my farewell to you with the heartfelt faith in Americans that I felt so powerfully that evening.

I feel it powerfully still.

Do not despair of our present difficulties but believe always in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here. Americans never quit. We never surrender. We never hide from history. We make history.