Sen. McCain sticks by Trump
PHOENIX — U.S. Sen. John McCain seemingly has every reason to oppose Donald Trump.
The Republican presidential nominee has attacked many issues dear to the Arizona senator, including the family of a fallen soldier, NATO and even McCain’s own military service. Yet McCain, who faces a primary challenge and a strong Democratic opponent in the fall, has stuck by his support for Trump, at times seemingly through gritted teeth.
“I have said that I will support the nominee of the party, and let me just say to you that is the last time,” McCain told reporters this week as they pushed for more insight into why he continued to back Trump. “If I change my view or my position, then you will be among the first to know.”
Eight years after stumping across the nation himself as the Republican Party’s presidential candidate, McCain wants to focus on Arizona, yet at nearly every step in recent weeks Trump has dogged him.
The billionaire businessman took aim at McCain personally Tuesday, saying he would not endorse him for re-election because “I’ve always felt that he should have done a much better job for the vets.”
Trump earlier suggested McCain was not a war hero because he was captured during the Vietnam War.
McCain slammed Trump last month for saying he might not come to the aid of NATO countries that failed to fulfill their financial obligations. And this week, he lashed out at Trump for attacking the parents of an Army captain killed in Iraq in 2004. Trump drew the ire or many in his party for comments he made attacking Khizr and Ghazala Khan, who spoke at the Democratic National Convention.
“In recent days, Donald Trump disparaged a fallen soldier’s parents,” McCain said in a lengthy statement. “He has suggested that the likes of their son should not be allowed in the United States — to say nothing of entering its service. I cannot emphasize enough how deeply I disagree with Mr. Trump’s statement. I hope Americans understand that the remarks do not represent the views of our Republican Party, its officers or candidates.”
Still, despite concerns about Trump, the vast majority of Republicans in Congress have stuck by him.
The primary is Aug. 30.
Many political observers expect McCain to easily advance to the November election.
