Trump Nixed Statement Praising McCain’s Heroism

“President Trump nixed issuing a statement that praised the heroism and life of Sen. John McCain, telling senior aides he preferred to issue a tweet before posting one Saturday night that did not include any kind words for the late Arizona Republican,” the Washington Post reports.

“Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Chief of Staff John Kelly and other White House aides advocated for an official statement that gave the decorated Vietnam War POW plaudits for his military and Senate service and called him a ‘hero’… who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive internal deliberations.”

“But Trump told aides he wanted to post a brief tweet instead, and the statement praising McCain’s life was not released.”

New York Times: “The president did not make even the most cursory public show of respect on Sunday for Mr. McCain, against whom he had continued to indulge a personal grievance even as it was apparent that the Arizona Republican was losing his battle with brain cancer. The president spent much of the day golfing and attacking his usual enemies on Twitter.”