Trump Says He Was Unaware of Request to Move USS John McCain

President Donald Trump acknowledged that a “well meaning” person appeared to have requested that the U.S. Navy move the warship USS John S. McCain out of view before his visit to Japan, but added, “I would not have done that.”

“I wasn’t a fan but I would never do a thing like that," Trump told reporters Thursday upon departing the White House for a trip to Colorado. “Now, somebody did it because they thought I didn’t like him, ok? And they were well meaning, I will say.”

A U.S. Indo-Pacific Command official, in an email May 15 to U.S. Navy and Air Force officials, laid out proposals for Trump’s arrival that he said had resulted from talks between the White House Military Office and the U.S. Navy’s Seventh Fleet, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday. That included the directive: “USS John McCain needs to be out of sight,” according to the Journal. “Please confirm #3 will be satisfied,” the newspaper cited the official as writing.

Meanwhile, Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan told reporters while en route to Singapore Thursday that he hadn’t had knowledge of any such events.

“I never authorized, I never approved any action around the movement or activity regarding that ship. Furthermore, I would never dishonor the memory of a great American patriot like Senator McCain,” he said. “I also think it is important, I’d never disrespect the young men and women that crew that ship. I’ve asked my chief of staff to look into the matter.”

The ship is currently under repair and difficult to move following a 2017 collision, the newspaper said. A tarp was hung over the ship’s name ahead of Trump’s visit, according to the WSJ, citing photos it reviewed. Sailors were directed to remove any coverings from the ship that bore its name, the Journal said. It also reported that sailors on the ship who typically wear hats with the vessel’s name on it were given the day off.

Trump has repeatedly attacked John McCain, who died in August, saying the late senator wrongly supported the war in Iraq, failed to “get the job done” for veterans and “badly” hurt the Republican party and the nation by voting against repealing Obamacare.

“I was very angry with John McCain because he killed health care. I was not a big fan of John McCain in any way, shape or form,” Trump told reporters Thursday.

McCain’s daughter, Meghan McCain, said on Twitter Wednesday that “Trump is a child who will always be deeply threatened by the greatness of my dads incredible life. There is a lot of criticism of how much I speak about my dad, but nine months since he passed, Trump won’t let him RIP. So I have to stand up for him.”

“It makes my grief unbearable,” she said.

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