The White House was informed in advance of Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) unannounced trip to Syria, press secretary Jay Carney told reporters on Tuesday.
Carney would not say whether the the Arizona senator delivered a message to rebel leaders from President Barack Obama, according to a White House pool report. McCain, a proponent for increasing the United State’s role in the civil war in Syria, secretly crossed the border to meet with rebel leaders, who also desire increased U.S. support.
McCain is the highest ranking U.S. official to visit the country in the two years since the civil war broke out, NBC News reported.