The Latest: Trump denies instructing Navy about McCain ship

 

9:25 a.m.

President Donald Trump says he had nothing to do with directing the U.S. Navy to keep a warship named for the late Sen. John McCain out of sight during his visit to Japan this week.

Trump told reporters as he left the White House on Thursday he “wasn’t involved” in the effort. Trump says, “Somebody did it because they thought I didn’t like him,” but he says he “would never do a thing like that” even though he “wasn’t a fan.”

The Wall Street Journal first reported Wednesday that a tarp was placed over the warship’s name before Trump’s arrival and that sailors were instructed to remove any coverings from the ship that included its name.

Trump feuded with McCain publicly for years, continuing his criticism even after the Republican senator from Arizona died last year.

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1:50 a.m.

Three U.S. officials tell The Associated Press that the White House wanted the Navy to keep its warship the USS John S. McCain out of President Donald Trump’s sight during his trip to Japan.

Trump and McCain feuded over the years and Trump continued to criticize the Arizona senator after his death last year.

 
A desire to keep the USS John S. McCain out of sight is referenced in an email obtained by The Wall Street Journal and confirmed by the AP.

The U.S. officials spoke Wednesday to the AP on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss private email correspondence.

In response to the story, Trump tweeted that he wasn’t told about anything to do with the USS John S. McCain during his visit to Japan.