Trump didnât want to see the USS John McCain while he was in Japan and they couldnât move it since it was docked for repairs, so they hung a tarp over the name. Classy.
The White House wanted the U.S. Navy to move âout of sightâ a warship named for the late Sen. John McCain, a war hero who became a frequent target of President Trumpâs ire, ahead of the presidentâs visit to Japan last week, according to an email reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.
In a May 15 email to U.S. Navy and Air Force officials, a U.S. Indo-Pacific Command official outlined plans for the presidentâs arrival that he said had resulted from conversations between the White House Military Office and the Seventh Fleet of the U.S. Navy. In addition to instructions for the proper landing areas for helicopters and preparation for the USS Waspâwhere the president was scheduled to speakâthe official issued a third directive: âUSS John McCain needs to be out of sight.â
âPlease confirm #3 will be satisfied,â the official wrote.
When a Navy commander expressed surprise about the directive for the USS John S. McCain, the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command official replied: âFirst I heard of it as well.â He said he would work with the White House Military Office to obtain more information about the order.
Acting Defense Secretary Pat Shanahan was aware of the concern about the presence of the USS John McCain in Japan and approved measures to ensure it didnât interfere with the presidentâs visit, a U.S. official said.
There were discussions within the U.S. military over the past week about how to handle the warship, another U.S. official said. The ship is being repaired after a 2017 collision, and any ship undergoing such repair or maintenance would be difficult to move, officials said. A tarp was hung over the shipâs name ahead of the presidentâs trip, according to photos reviewed by the Journal, and sailors were directed to remove any coverings from the ship that bore its name. After the tarp was taken down, a barge was moved closer to the ship, obscuring its name. Sailors on the ship, who typically wear caps bearing its name, were given the day off during Mr. Trumpâs visit, people familiar with the matter said.