Trump on His Past Comments About John McCain: ‘I Say What I Say’

President Donald Trump is doubling down on his past criticisms of the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).

During Trump’s press briefing on Friday, ABC’s Jon Karl noted the president said in 2015 he did not think McCain was a hero, and he prefers “people who don’t get captured.”

He asked Trump if he regrets making those comments.

“I say what I say, and I never got along with John McCain. I disagreed with John McCain; you know that better than anybody, frankly,” Trump said.

He added, “I wasn’t a fan. I disagreed with many of his views. I disagreed with his views on these ridiculous, endless wars. I disagreed with the way he handled the vets, the V.A.”

Watch his comments below:

Asked whether he regrets his infamous 2015 attack on John McCain, Pres. Trump tells @jonkarl, "I say what I say. I never got along with John McCain…I wasn't a fan."

"I think time has proven me right, to a large extent." https://t.co/Zajw7WxP1O pic.twitter.com/T99FLZseTy

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) September 4, 2020

Trump claimed because he “disagreed” with McCain does not mean he did not “respect” him.

“I respected him, but I really disagreed with him on a lot of things, and I think I was right. I think time has proven me right to a large extent,” Trump said.

Trump’s comments come one day after The Atlantic published a report that alleges he said of flags at half-staff after McCain died, “What the f*** are we doing that for? Guy was a f***ing loser.”

The president received backlash for his remarks from McCain’s daughter Meghan McCain, as IJR previously reported.

“I just got through two years without my Dad a few days ago. The loss is still incredibly painful and raw. No one is more acutely aware of how vile and disgusting Trump has been to my family, it is still hard to understand – America knows who this man is…” she tweeted.

Meghan McCain went on to describe Trump’s reported comments as “painful” and “triggering.”

Trump launched another attack on John McCain in August and called him a “lousy candidate with lots of bad policy,” as IJR previously reported.