The White House on Monday backed Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) against comments made by Republican presidential contender Donald Trump questioning his military service.
{mosads}President Obama has always “expressed his admiration and deep respect for McCain’s heroism,” White House press secretary Josh Earnest said.
Obama and McCain ran against each other for president in 2008, but that did not diminish the president’s opinion of the Arizona senator’s war record, Earnest said.
The spokesman echoed McCain’s response, not demanding an apology from Trump but saying that “our military veterans are entitled to one.”
“He doesn’t really care about an apology for himself,” Earnest said. “But he’s right when he says our veterans are the ones who deserve an apology.
Earnest said he has not spoken with Obama about Trump’s comments.
At a candidate forum this weekend, Trump said that McCain is not a hero for being shot down and held prisoner during the Vietnam War.
“He’s not a war hero,” he said. “He’s a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured.”
Trump’s comments triggered a firestorm of condemnation across the political spectrum.