Acting Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan “was not aware of the directive to move the USS John S McCain nor was he aware of the concern precipitating the directive,” his spokesman, Joe Buccino, said. The official then issued a third instruction: “USS John McCain needs to be out of sight,” according to the email, which was obtained by the Journal and whose existence was confirmed to The Associated Press. The Journal reported, based on people familiar with the matter, that sailors on the USS John S. McCain, who usually wear hats with the ship’s name on it, were given the day off when Trump visited. Two U.S. officials told the AP that sailors on the USS John S. McCain were not told to stay away but that many were away for the long weekend. Trump and McCain had a frosty relationship and that continued, on Trump’s part, even after McCain died in August 2018 of brain cancer.

Source: National Post May 30, 2019 01:29 UTC