White House Fires Press Aide Who Made Offensive Comments on John McCain

White House communications aide Kelly Sadler was let go after her controversial comments regarding Republican Senator John McCain’s health.

A senior administration official stated that the Trump administration had been planning to fire the woman for the last couple of weeks. They were contemplating sending her to another department or agency outside of the White House. It is still unclear for the press where exactly she will be working in the future.

Her comment occurred in May, in a meeting where officials were discussing President Trump’s pick for CIA director Gina Haspel. When Senator McCain stated that he opposed Trump’s pick, Sadler said that his opinion didn’t matter because of his health, since he had been diagnosed with brain cancer. Some of the officials present during the meeting attempted to defend her comments as a joke that “fell flat.” Another source stated that Sadler’s comment was received with tension in the room, yet remained unaddressed for the rest of the meeting.

McCain had opposed Haspel as a CIA director nominee because of her reputation for using torture as an interrogation method. McCain released a statement explaining his decision, where he stated: “Ms. Haspel’s role in overseeing the use of torture by Americans is disturbing. Her refusal to acknowledge torture’s immorality is disqualifying. I believe the Senate should exercise its duty of advice and consent and reject this nomination.” Haspel responded by stating her respect for McCain and her appreciation for the “thoughtfulness with which he has approached this nomination process.” McCain has not been the only Senator to oppose the introduction of Haspel as CIA director, and such a large opposition made it complicated for the president to even nominate her.

The White House did not condemn her comments or made her apologize publicly. A White House official did say that “We respect Senator McCain’s service to our nation, and he and his family are in our prayers during this difficult time.” Sadler reportedly apologized for her comments to McCain’s daughter. She remained at her job for another month, and McCain questioned publicly why she still held her position at the White House.

This is not the first time that the Trump administration has stated inappropriate and offensive comments regarding Senator McCain. During his campaign, the president used the words “I like people that weren’t captured” when referring to him, mocking his experience as a prisoner of war. The tension between the two continued last year, when McCain voted against the dropping of Obamacare, a project that Trump has frequently supported.

Defending McCain, South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham stated: “Ms. Sadler, may I remind you that John McCain has a lot of friends in the United States Senate on both sides of the aisle. Nobody is laughing in the Senate.”

Featured Image via: Flickr/New Hampshire Public Radio