White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told staffers an aide’s offensive comment about Senator John McCain – that his opinion should be discounted because “he’s dying anyway” – was inappropriate but should not have been leaked to the media. According to the source, Sanders told communications staffers the remark by Kelly Sadler, a special assistant to the president, was inappropriate. During the meeting, the AP source said, White House director of strategic communications Mercedes Schlapp defended Sadler, saying the comment should not have been leaked to the media. At the White House press briefing on Friday, Sanders declined to condemn Sadler’s comment, saying she would not “validate a leak out of an internal staff meeting”. “John McCain can be criticised for any political decision he’s ever made or any vote he’s ever cast but he’s an American hero.

Source: The Guardian May 13, 2018 12:14 UTC