Trump ignores shouted questions about McCain

President Trump on Monday declined to respond to shouted questions about the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in the Oval Office.

After Trump ended a phone call with outgoing Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto about a trade deal between the two countries, members of the media shouted questions at the president.

{mosads}“Any thoughts on John McCain?” at least one reporter can be clearly heard saying in video of the Oval Office gathering. Trump did not respond. 

ABC News White House correspondent Jonathan Karl later indicated that he shouted the question and said he did so again during the president’s Oval Office meeting with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta.

“Standing about six feet from the President in the Oval Office, I once again asked the President about John McCain,” Karl tweeted. “Any thoughts on McCain? Anything at all about John McCain? Was McCain a hero? Nothing at all about McCain? He stared ahead and said nothing.”

Standing about six feet from the President in the Oval Office, I once again asked the President about John McCain. Any thoughts on McCain? Anything at all about John McCain? Was McCain a hero? Nothing at all about McCain? He stared ahead and said nothing. pic.twitter.com/2TsPYohp9K

— Jonathan Karl (@jonkarl) August 27, 2018

Trump and McCain had a contentious relationship since the new administration took over, with McCain repeatedly criticizing Trump’s policies and the president launching several personal attacks on the senator.

The president continued to mock McCain even after his cancer diagnosis last year and during his final weeks.

Trump reportedly rejected a draft White House statement calling McCain a “hero” in favor of tweeting out condolences to the McCain family, which avoided praising the late senator.

The White House returned flags to full staff on Monday after lowering them to honor McCain for less than 48 hours after the 81-year-old senator died from brain cancer on Saturday.

McCain reportedly did not want Trump to attend his funeral, at which former Presidents Obama and George W. Bush are both expected to speak.

Updated at 2:17 p.m.