On Sunday afternoon, news broke that John McCain would not vote on the Republican Tax Bill in the Senate after deciding to stay with his family following brain cancer treatment. In response, Donald Trump gave his thoughts.
Trump on McCain
John McCain is expected to miss the crucial vote on the president's tax plan after spending much of the week at Walter Reed Medical Center treating side effects from his cancer treatment. With McCain headed home early, questions were raised as to what impact it would have on the bill's final vote. Donald Trump was asked about the issue while speaking to reporters, but insisted that McCain would head back to Washington if Republicans needed him to pass the bill, according to Fox News on December 17.
.@POTUS: “I did speak to Cindy McCain, and I wished her well, I wished John well. They’ve headed back, but I understand he’ll come if we ever needed his vote — which hopefully we won’t.” https://t.co/OxiF0zKNnQ pic.twitter.com/4c0HcNlfnm
— Fox News (@FoxNews) December 18, 2017
When asked about the status of John M Cain and the tax bill, Donald Trump didn't seem bothered. "I did speak to Cindy McCain, and I wished her well, I wished John well," Trump said, before adding, "They’ve headed back, but I understand he’ll come if we ever needed his vote." "It's too bad, he’s going through a very tough time, no question about it," Trump continued, while making sure to add, "but he will come back if we need his vote." Republicans are set to hold a vote in the Senate in the upcoming days after the bill narrowly passed the House of Representatives last week.
The bill has been controversial, with critics pointing out the tax breaks given to corporations and wealthy Americans at the expense of lower and middle income earners. Projections by non-partisan centers say it could add as much as $1.7 trillion to the national date over the next decade.
Republican Sen. John McCain is returning to Arizona to continue recovering from the side effects of chemotherapy for a brain tumor and will miss the tax bill vote https://t.co/M8h30KhrDs pic.twitter.com/lxzw84OHpi
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) December 17, 2017
Twitter reacts
After Donald Trump gave his comments, critics on social media quickly fired back.
"I thought @POTUS didn’t like McCain because he was captured? I guess he might need him now so he’s being nice?" one tweet read.
Yet again he displays his lack of humanity! Can't just speak about sending best wishes to a dying American icon, has to bring his damn voted into it.
— Catarina (@catrinawilamina) December 18, 2017
Did you apologize to his wife for mocking him for being captured as a POW?!?
— Craig (@BlakCraig) December 18, 2017
"Trump, calling a man, to ask about what TRUMP needs from HIM.
This is everything about him, me me me me me. Yeah I know you're dying and all but I NEED YOU TO DO X. Me me me me me me," another Twitter user wrote. "Did you apologize to his wife for mocking him for being captured as a POW?!?" another tweet stated.
Trump, calling a man, to ask about what TRUMP needs from HIM. This is everything about him, me me me me me. Yeah I know you're dying and all but I NEED YOU TO DO X. Me me me me me me.
— OverUnderClover (@OverUnderClover) December 18, 2017
I thought @POTUS didn’t like McCain because he was captured? I guess he might need him now so he’s being nice? #FakePatriot.
— Andrew Kowalczyk (@Celljxn) December 18, 2017
Always turns everything to himself. Not a sincere empathetic bone in his heartless body.
— RileyBoss (@GoneToCoast) December 18, 2017
"Yet again he displays his lack of humanity!
Can't just speak about sending best wishes to a dying American icon, has to bring his damn voted into it," an additional post added. The backlash continued as the opposition to Donald Trump showed no signs of ending after just one year in office.
