President Donald Trump should demand that his aide apologize for joking about the ailing health of Sen. John McCain, a Democratic senator said Friday.
At a meeting Thursday morning, White House aide Kelly Sadler reportedly dismissed McCain's opposition to Trump's choice to lead the CIA, Gina Haspel, as unimportant because the Arizona senator is "dying anyway," an attempt at a joke that fell flat, according to The Hill.
"The president should be saying that, 'This was unacceptable. Under my watch, I will not tolerate such comments.' But we haven't heard a word from the President," Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., said Friday on CNN's "New Day" morning program.
When asked about Sadler's statement, a White House official did not deny The Hill's account, only saying: "We respect Senator McCain's service to our nation, and he and his family are in our prayers during this difficult time."
According to Cardin, Trump must be more forceful and public in addressing the "outrageous" comment.
"Leaders have a responsibility to speak out when things are done that are against the traditions and values of this country. And that statement went beyond what is acceptable," Cardin said.
He added that McCain is "a hero, and that "there's no place" for that kind of comment "anywhere in our society, let alone the White House," and that it's “something that needs to have some disciplinary results."
McCain is battling brain cancer at his Arizona home.
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