McCain Slams 'Bone Spur' That Kept Trump Out of War

He didn't mention President Trump by name, but John McCain seems to have taken a swipe at the president over his Vietnam War deferment. In an interview with C-SPAN for the 50th anniversary of the war, McCain took issue with how easy it was for wealthy men to get out of serving. “One aspect of the conflict, by the way, that I will never ever countenance is that we drafted the lowest income level of America," said the senator. "The highest income level found a doctor that would say they had a bone spur." A bone spur diagnosis prevented Trump from serving in Vietnam, and he would get five deferments over the course of the conflict, notes the Daily News.

"If we are going to ask every American to serve, every American should serve," said McCain. Last year, Trump told the New York Times that his bone spur issue was legit. "I had a doctor that gave me a letter—a very strong letter on the heels," he said. "Over a period of time, it healed up." Trump memorably criticized McCain during the presidential campaign over his war record, saying he didn't view the former Navy pilot and POW as a hero because McCain had been captured. McCain largely shrugged it off at the time. More recently, McCain delivered a public rebuke of Trumpism, drawing a warning from Trump. (More John McCain stories.)