Jimmy McCain, the son of the revered late Senator John McCain, has publicly declared his endorsement for Vice-President Kamala Harris. This significant move comes in the wake of controversy surrounding former President Donald Trump’s recent visit to Arlington National Cemetery, a site deeply meaningful to the McCain family.
Mr. McCain, son of the decorated war hero and former presidential candidate, described Trump’s visit to the hallowed grounds as a “violation.” His strong words underscore the ongoing tension between the McCain family and Donald Trump, a relationship marked by public disagreements and contrasting political ideologies. The controversy stems from allegations that a Trump staff member acted disrespectfully towards an Arlington National Cemetery employee who was attempting to enforce rules against filming at the site.
The Trump campaign, however, maintains they had received permission from families of fallen service members to film during an event intended to honor those who died during the withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. Despite this defense, Jimmy McCain voiced his disapproval to CNN’s Jake Tapper on Tuesday, stating, “Show respect and leave. It doesn’t need to be videoed.” He emphasized the solemn purpose of Arlington Cemetery, explaining, “The point of Arlington Cemetery is to go and show respect for the men and women who have given their lives to this country. When you make it political, you take away the respect of the people who are there.”
Jimmy McCain, son of John McCain, pictured with his sister Meghan McCain and their father in 2013.
Adding weight to his stance, Mr. McCain announced he has shifted his voter registration from independent to Democrat. He intends to cast his vote for Kamala Harris in the upcoming presidential election this November. “I feel that Kamala Harris and Tim Walz embody a group of people that will help make this country better. That will take us forward. That’s really what matters at the end of the day,” McCain explained, highlighting his belief in the Democratic candidates’ vision for the nation’s future.
This endorsement from John McCain’s son carries considerable symbolic weight, particularly given the well-documented and often bitter rivalry between Donald Trump and the late Senator McCain. John McCain, a Vietnam War veteran and long-serving Republican senator, was a consistent and vocal critic of Donald Trump, even from the early stages of Trump’s political ascent. Trump famously dismissed McCain’s war heroism, stating he was “not a war hero” because he had been captured during the Vietnam War.
The McCain family’s opposition to Trump is not limited to Jimmy. In the 2020 presidential election, John McCain’s widow, Cindy McCain, broke ranks with the Republican party to endorse Joe Biden’s candidacy against Donald Trump. Following his victory, President Biden appointed Cindy McCain as the US ambassador to the United Nations food agencies, further cementing the family’s move away from Trump’s Republican party.
While Jimmy McCain is now endorsing a Democrat, his sister Meghan McCain, though also critical of Trump, has indicated a different path. On Monday, Meghan McCain stated she does not plan to support either Trump or Harris in the upcoming election. “I greatly respect the wide variety of political opinions of all of my family members and love them all very much,” she wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “I however, remain a proud member of the Republican Party and hope for brighter days ahead.”
The youngest McCain son, Jimmy, has forged his own path of service. He enlisted in the Marine Corps and has been serving as an intelligence officer since 2022. His decision to endorse Kamala Harris adds a notable voice to the political landscape, especially considering the McCain family’s deep roots in American politics and military service. Three generations of the McCain family are laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery, a poignant detail that underscores the personal significance of the site and the family’s connection to its honor and sanctity. Federal law strictly prohibits the use of Arlington National Cemetery for political campaigning, further emphasizing the sensitivity surrounding Trump’s recent visit and the ensuing controversy that led to Jimmy McCain’s endorsement of Kamala Harris.
