Mulvaney: Attempt to move USS John McCain during Trump visit ‘not unusual’ | TheHill – The Hill

Acting White House chief of staff Mick MulvaneyJohn (Mick) Michael MulvaneyMexican president on Trump immigration tariffs: ‘America First is a fallacy’ Dow futures plummet after Trump announces new Mexico tariffs Trump announces tariffs on Mexico over immigration MORE said Sunday that it wasn’t “unreasonable” for an administration staffer to ask that the USS McCain be hidden during President TrumpDonald John TrumpLondon mayor says UK is ‘on the wrong side of history’ with Trump visit Hickenlooper booed in San Francisco for denouncing socialism Cuomo calls Trump base ‘mostly middle aged angry white males’ MORE‘s Japan visit last week. 

Mulvaney said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he believes it was a “probably somebody in the advance team” who told the Navy to hide the ship based on the president’s thoughts over the late senator. 

“The president’s feelings toward the former senator are well known,” Mulvaney said, adding that firing someone over the request “is silly.”

“The fact that some 23- or 24-year_old person went to that site and said ‘Oh my goodness, there’s the John McCainJohn Sidney McCainNavy says it was asked to ‘minimize visibility’ of USS McCain for Trump visit The Hill’s 12:30 Report: Trump rattles markets with Mexico tariffs Pentagon chief says military will not ‘become politicized’ amid USS McCain questions MORE we all know how the president feels about the former senator maybe that’s not the best backdrop can somebody look into moving it,’ that’s not an unreasonable thing to ask,” Mulvaney said.

The Navy confirmed Saturday receiving a request to “minimize visibility” of the USS John S. McCain, named for the late senator’s grandfather. 

Trump said he did not know of the request but whoever did it was “well meaning.”

Trump and the late Sen. John McCain clashed frequently, and the president has kept up his attacks after the Arizona Republican’s death.