John McCain gets no hero’s praise from Donald Trump
McCain was one of Trump’s sharpest critics, and made clear in one of his final wishes that he did not want the president to attend his funeral
Washington — Donald Trump rejected a statement prepared by his aides that praised John McCain, according to the Washington Post, underscoring the US president’s enduring scorn for the late senator and war hero. While tributes have poured in highlighting the Arizona Republican’s lifetime of service, Trump issued a single, terse tweet on Saturday that sent his "deepest sympathies and respect" to the bereaved family, without any words for McCain himself. The absence of a formal communique from the White House has raised eyebrows and was all the more conspicuous after vice-president Mike Pence along with most of the cabinet, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and all the living former presidents had issued their own statements at the weekend. Citing unnamed current and former White House aides, the Post said Sanders, chief of staff John Kelly and other senior staff had advocated for a statement that called McCain a "hero". The statement was prepared and given to Trump for his approv...
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