John McCain’s youngest daughter Bridget has made a rare public statement in defense of her late father and slammed Donald Trump in the process, calling him a ‘child’ and saying he wasn’t invited to senator’s funeral because ‘you could not be counted on to be courteous.’
Bridget McCain, 27, offered her thoughts on the president’s attacks on her father via her Twitter account.
“Everyone doesn’t have to agree with my dad or like him, but I do ask you to be decent and respectful,” the youngest of McCain’s seven children wrote. “If you can’t do those two things, be mindful. We only said goodbye to him almost 7 months ago. Even if you were invited to my dad’s funeral, you would have only wanted to be there for the credit and not for any condolences,” she continued. “Unfortunately, you could not be counted on to be courteous, as you are a child in the most important role the world knows.”
@realDonaldTrump Everyone doesn’t have to agree with my dad or like him, but I do ask you to be decent and respectful. If you can’t do those two things, be mindful. We only said goodbye to him almost 7 months ago. (1/2)
— Bridget? (@bridgieleela) March 21, 2019
@realDonaldTrump Even if you were invited to my dad’s funeral, you would have only wanted to be there for the credit and not for any condolences.
Unfortunately, you could not be counted on to be courteous, as you are a child in the most important role the world knows. (2/2)— Bridget? (@bridgieleela) March 21, 2019
Hours later, her sister Meghan McCain returned to the set of ABC’s “The View,” praising Bridget for speaking her mind but also acknowledging that, “I don’t expect decency and compassion from the Trump family.”
Incredibly proud of my brave sister Bridget @bridgieleela for speaking out against President Trump. I love you more than I could ever possibly say. Your strength and grace continues to help carry us all through our grief. ♥️ pic.twitter.com/w4qFL7zWr2
— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) March 21, 2019
It was notable that Bridget McCain has broken her long public silence and weighed in on the matter.
The youngest McCain child has stayed out of the national spotlight, although she read a bible verse at her father’s memorial service at North Phoenix Baptist Church this past August.
But she has otherwise stayed out of the public arena.
‘It’s very brave of her. She’s young and she does not speak publicly,’ Meghan McCain said.
She also noted her younger sister is ‘very, very private.’
‘Anyone who knows anything about political history could probably surmise why she’s chosen to lead a very private life but she felt inclined to say and tweet this,’ Meghan McCain said.
During the 2000 Republican presidential primary, rumors were spread in South Carolina – before its decisive primary election – that Bridget was the illegitimate child of John McCain.
The McCains had actually adopted her as a baby from an orphanage in Bangladesh, when Cindy McCain was visiting the impoverished nation on a humanitarian visit and spotted Bridget.
Trump complained during a visit to a manufacturing plant in Ohio yesterday that he didn’t get thanked for giving McCain ‘the kind of funeral that he wanted.’
‘I endorsed him at his request and I gave him the kind of funeral that he wanted, which as president I had to approve. I don’t care about this, I didn’t get a thank-you. That’s okay. We sent him on the way. But I wasn’t a fan of John McCain,’ Trump said.
Trump was criticized after McCain’s death for not keeping the flag flying at the White House at half-staff.
It was eventually lowered and stayed that way until McCain was buried.
Trump has questioned since a 60 Minutes interview in 1999 whether McCain, and all Prisoners of War, are America heroes for “being captured.”