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| Trump defends request to hide ship named John McCain | Trump defends request to hide ship named John McCain |
| (1 day later) | |
| US President Donald Trump has defended a reported White House request to hide a warship named for his late critic, John McCain, during his trip to Japan. | US President Donald Trump has defended a reported White House request to hide a warship named for his late critic, John McCain, during his trip to Japan. |
| At the White House, Mr Trump denied having prior knowledge of the request, but said whoever did it was "well meaning" in their intention. | At the White House, Mr Trump denied having prior knowledge of the request, but said whoever did it was "well meaning" in their intention. |
| The call to move the USS John S McCain out of view was ultimately torpedoed by senior Navy officials. | The call to move the USS John S McCain out of view was ultimately torpedoed by senior Navy officials. |
| The Navy Chief of Information also posted to say it "was not obscured". | The Navy Chief of Information also posted to say it "was not obscured". |
| The tweet - its first in five years - added that "the Navy is proud of that ship, its crew, its namesake and its heritage". | The tweet - its first in five years - added that "the Navy is proud of that ship, its crew, its namesake and its heritage". |
| Mr Trump denied to reporters on Thursday morning that he was behind the request to obscure the ship. | Mr Trump denied to reporters on Thursday morning that he was behind the request to obscure the ship. |
| "I would never do a thing like that," he said. "Now, someone did it, because they thought I didn't like him. OK? And, they were well meaning, I will say." | "I would never do a thing like that," he said. "Now, someone did it, because they thought I didn't like him. OK? And, they were well meaning, I will say." |
| He added: "They thought they were doing me a favour because they know I'm not a fan of John McCain." | He added: "They thought they were doing me a favour because they know I'm not a fan of John McCain." |
| But he later denied the story. | |
| The ship, which is docked in the Japanese city of Yokosuka, bears the name of the late Mr McCain - a military veteran, Republican senator for Arizona and antagonist of Mr Trump. | The ship, which is docked in the Japanese city of Yokosuka, bears the name of the late Mr McCain - a military veteran, Republican senator for Arizona and antagonist of Mr Trump. |
| The guided-missile destroyer is named jointly after him and his father and grandfather. The latter pair were both Navy admirals. | The guided-missile destroyer is named jointly after him and his father and grandfather. The latter pair were both Navy admirals. |
| Quoting anonymous Navy officials, US media outlets reported that the White House had asked for the ship to be obscured during the visit. | Quoting anonymous Navy officials, US media outlets reported that the White House had asked for the ship to be obscured during the visit. |
| The Wall Street Journal, which first reported the claims, cited an email between US military officials that said the ship "needs to be out of sight". | |
| It was also reported that the warship's crew members, who have "USS John S McCain" on their caps, were sent home for the long weekend, along with the crew from another ship. | It was also reported that the warship's crew members, who have "USS John S McCain" on their caps, were sent home for the long weekend, along with the crew from another ship. |
| When some of them turned up to watch the speech anyway, the paper added, they were turned away. | When some of them turned up to watch the speech anyway, the paper added, they were turned away. |
| Acting US Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan told reporters during a trip to Jakarta that he had been unaware of the incident. | Acting US Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan told reporters during a trip to Jakarta that he had been unaware of the incident. |
| "When I read about it this morning, it was the first I heard about it," he said. | "When I read about it this morning, it was the first I heard about it," he said. |
| "I never authorised, I never approved any action around the movement or activities regarding that ship," he continued, adding that the US military "needs to do their job" and keep out of politics. | "I never authorised, I never approved any action around the movement or activities regarding that ship," he continued, adding that the US military "needs to do their job" and keep out of politics. |
| Meghan McCain, Mr McCain's daughter, tweeted in response to the reports: "Trump is a child who will always be deeply threatened by the greatness of my dad's incredible life." | Meghan McCain, Mr McCain's daughter, tweeted in response to the reports: "Trump is a child who will always be deeply threatened by the greatness of my dad's incredible life." |
| She added: "There is a lot of criticism of how much I speak about my dad, but nine months since he passed, Trump won't let him RIP. So I have to stand up for him. It makes my grief unbearable." | She added: "There is a lot of criticism of how much I speak about my dad, but nine months since he passed, Trump won't let him RIP. So I have to stand up for him. It makes my grief unbearable." |
| Trump's bitter feud with McCain | Trump's bitter feud with McCain |
| This all goes back to President Trump's hostile relationship with the warship's namesake. | This all goes back to President Trump's hostile relationship with the warship's namesake. |
| Senator McCain was a military veteran who, during the Vietnam war, was imprisoned and tortured for five-and-a-half years. He also unsuccessfully ran for president twice, most recently against Barack Obama in 2008. | Senator McCain was a military veteran who, during the Vietnam war, was imprisoned and tortured for five-and-a-half years. He also unsuccessfully ran for president twice, most recently against Barack Obama in 2008. |
| But it was his outspoken criticism of Mr Trump, starting in 2015, that led to a bitter rivalry between them. | But it was his outspoken criticism of Mr Trump, starting in 2015, that led to a bitter rivalry between them. |
| During the campaign for the 2016 presidential election, Mr McCain - a fellow Republican - publicly withdrew his support for Mr Trump, accusing him of "firing up the crazies" with his views on immigration. | During the campaign for the 2016 presidential election, Mr McCain - a fellow Republican - publicly withdrew his support for Mr Trump, accusing him of "firing up the crazies" with his views on immigration. |
| Less than a month later, President Trump told a campaign event: "He's a 'war hero' because he was captured. I like people that weren't captured." | Less than a month later, President Trump told a campaign event: "He's a 'war hero' because he was captured. I like people that weren't captured." |
| The divide between them didn't end with Mr Trump's election victory, however. | The divide between them didn't end with Mr Trump's election victory, however. |
| A year into his presidency, in July 2017, Mr Trump introduced a bill to repeal his presidential predecessor's landmark healthcare legislation, the Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare). | A year into his presidency, in July 2017, Mr Trump introduced a bill to repeal his presidential predecessor's landmark healthcare legislation, the Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare). |
| The Republicans almost succeeded but, as he battled brain cancer, Mr McCain voted no - scuppering the party's bid to undo the act. | The Republicans almost succeeded but, as he battled brain cancer, Mr McCain voted no - scuppering the party's bid to undo the act. |
| When McCain died in August 2018, Mr Trump came under pressure from lawmakers in both parties for refusing to order White House flags to fly at half-staff or to release a statement of condolences. | When McCain died in August 2018, Mr Trump came under pressure from lawmakers in both parties for refusing to order White House flags to fly at half-staff or to release a statement of condolences. |
| Mr Trump eventually relented, but did not attend the funeral and added that he "didn't get a thank you" for McCain's state funeral. | Mr Trump eventually relented, but did not attend the funeral and added that he "didn't get a thank you" for McCain's state funeral. |