McCain says he hasn’t met with Trump since inauguration

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said Friday that he hasn’t met with Donald Trump since he became president but that he speaks regularly with top defense officials in his administration.

“I have not talked to the president,” McCain said at the Brussels Forum. “I talk almost daily to [Defense Secretary James] Mattis, to [national security adviser H.R.] McMaster, to [Director of National Intelligence] Dan Coats, to all of his national security team. We are close and old friends.”

Pressed if he was saying that he hasn’t met with the president, the Armed Services Committee chairman said, “No. … I met him some years ago. I have not met him since he became president.”

{mosads}Vice President Pence has been meeting frequently with Senate Republicans, including attending their weekly caucus lunch.

Trump has sat down with congressional leadership, as well as a growing number of GOP senators, since becoming president, including Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a close ally of McCain’s.

{mosads}McCain dodged a question about whether he thought Trump listened more to his military advisers or Stephen Bannon, the president’s top political strategist.

“I know also that there are statements and … comments that come from the White House that clearly indicates that Mr. Bannon is the one who is having a significant impact on the president’s statements or thinking and that is of concern to me — I just have to say honestly,” McCain said. 

“I’m not positive who the president listens to. … Who drives the tweets at 6 a.m.?” he added.

McCain suggested that Trump “do some outreach” to Democrats, listen to his national security team and “stop tweeting.” 

“Maybe I should have said stop tweeting about major issues,” McCain added when asked about his own tweets.

Trump’s penchant for around-the-clock tweeting has rankled GOP lawmakers who are frequently hounded by reporters asking them to weigh on Trump’s comments.

McCain and Trump have had a publicly rocky relationship dating back to the presidential campaign, when Trump mocked McCain’s time as a prisoner during the Vietnam War. 

“I like people that weren’t captured,” Trump said in July 2015. 

As Didier Reynders, the deputy prime minister of the Belgium, signaled that Europe is uncertain about the administration’s commitment to NATO, McCain interrupted him: “Let’s get to the subject which is the uncertainty about the president of the United States.”

McCain has publicly called for a select committee to investigate Russia’s meddling in the White House race, including any potential ties between the Trump campaign and Moscow.