Now that Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) is trekking to Capitol Hill Tuesday despite a brain cancer diagnosis, President Donald Trump called him an “American hero” on Tuesday morning.
So great that John McCain is coming back to vote. Brave – American hero! Thank you John.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 25, 2017
Trump’s tweet is especially notable given that during the 2016 campaign, Trump questioned whether McCain should be considered a war hero because he was “captured.” During a July 2015 event, Trump said that McCain “is a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured.”
After McCain was diagnosed with cancer, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders was asked if Trump regrets suggesting that the senator is not a war hero.
“I’m not sure about that,” she replied.