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Aide dismissive of McCain departs White House

Special assistant to the president Kelly Sadler attends a forum at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House complex March 22, 2018, in Washington. (Manuel Balce Ceneta / Associated Press)
By Ken Thomas and Zeke Miller Associated Press
Special assistant to the president Kelly Sadler attends a forum at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House complex March 22, 2018, in Washington. (Manuel Balce Ceneta / Associated Press)

WASHINGTON – A West Wing aide who was dismissive of gravely ill Sen. John McCain during a closed-door meeting last month has left the White House.

White House spokesman Raj Shah says, “Kelly Sadler is no longer employed within the Executive Office of the President.”

Sadler told colleagues last month they should disregard McCain’s opinion on President Donald Trump’s CIA nominee because “he’s dying anyway,” a remark that led to a torrent of criticism.

The Trump administration declined to publicly apologize and Trump demanded a crackdown on whoever leaked the story to the media.

The 81-year-old McCain was diagnosed in July with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.

Sadler apologized to the McCain family privately, but McCain’s daughter asked for a public apology.

Sadler’s departure was first reported by CNN.