President Trump Signs ‘John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act,’ Doesn’t Mention John McCain
On Monday, President Donald Trump signed the ‘John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019’ and left one person out of his speech: Senator John S. McCain.
In fact, he didn’t even say the name of the Authorization he was signing. He never uttered McCain’s name.
But Sen. McCain is part of this bill, not just in name, mentioned or not. The ailing Republican Senator issued a statement today. His wife, Cindy McCain, tweeted just after the signing to capture that moment.
I’m so proud of @SenJohnMcCain and his work on NDAA. Incredibly humbled at the naming of this after my husband.
— Cindy McCain (@cindymccain) August 13, 2018
The fact that Trump didn’t mention McCain didn’t escape anyone’s attention, and several reporters remarked on it.
At the outset of his speech, Trump refers to the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act as simply the National Defense Authorization Act and "our new defense bill." Will he acknowledge McCain at all?
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) August 13, 2018
The answer was “no”, he would not.
At Fort Drum just now, notes @betsy_klein, POTUS thanked multiple members of Congress involved in passage of the “John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019” — but not John McCain.
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) August 13, 2018
The Defense bill signed by Pres Trump is named to honor @SenJohnMcCain, but @POTUS did not mention him during his speech. pic.twitter.com/voxJg1ACXL
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) August 13, 2018
Wow. At event to sign the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act, President Trump makes no mention of John McCain.
— Felicia Sonmez (@feliciasonmez) August 13, 2018
For his part, Sen. McCain, the war hero veteran for whom the Act was named, issued his own statement, which begins with the words “President Trump.”
I'm proud the NDAA is now law & humbled Congress chose to designate it in my name. As Chairman of the Armed Services Cmte, I've found high purpose in service of a cause greater than self—the cause of our troops who defend America & all that she stands for. https://t.co/Gco9E57HdC
— John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) August 13, 2018
[Featured image via screengrab]
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