White House aide steps down after anger over remarks on McCain's health

Ben Jacobs in Washington
Updated

Kelly Sadler dismissed ill senator’s opposition to CIA nominee because ‘he’s dying anyway’

John McCain, who has brain cancer, opposed Gina Haspel’s nomination to be CIA director.
John McCain, who has brain cancer, opposed Gina Haspel’s nomination to be CIA director. Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

Kelly Sadler, the White House aide who caused outrage in May with a remark about the health of Senator John McCain, has left the White House.

In a statement, White House deputy press secretary Raj Shah said: “Kelly Sadler is no longer employed within the executive office of the president.”

In a comment at a meeting of the White House press team in May, Sadler dismissed John McCain’s opposition to the nomination of Gina Haspel to be CIA director by saying: “He’s dying, anyway.”

Shortly after the leaked comments were first reported by the Hill, McCain’s daughter Meghan hit back at the White House and asked why Sadler was still employed by the Trump administration. Speaking on The View, the talkshow that she co-hosts, Meghan said: “I don’t understand what kind of environment you’re working in when that would be acceptable and then you could come to work the next day and still have a job.”

John McCain, the Arizona Republican and 2008 presidential candidate who has brain cancer, was an ardent opponent of Haspel’s nomination based on his experience being tortured as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam.

Haspel, who has since been confirmed by a vote of 54-45, faced fierce opposition for her role supervising a CIA black site in Thailand in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

In the aftermath of Sadler’s comments, the White House defended the press aide and instead focused its criticism on the fact that the comment was leaked. At a White House press briefing, Sarah Sanders declined to address Sadler’s remark by saying she would not “validate a leak out of an internal staff meeting”.