白宫一名官员对麦凯恩参议员对川普总统的中情局长人选的反对不屑一顾，说：“这无关紧要。反正他将不久于人世。”81岁的共和党籍参议员麦凯恩来自亚利桑纳州，正在同脑癌作斗争。
据报道，白宫通讯联络处的特别助理萨德勒星期四在白宫通讯联络处一次工作人员会议上发表了以上言论。
当时在场参加会议的两个要求不透露身份的人对美联社说，他们感到“无比震惊”。美国其它媒体也就此事做了报道。
白宫没有直接否认这段讲话。白宫发表声明说：“我们尊重麦凯恩参议员为国家的服务。在当前的艰难阶段，我们为他及家人祈祷。”
萨德勒的讲话被媒体报道后，麦凯恩参议员的妻子辛迪·麦凯恩星期四晚上在推特上发文说：“我想提醒你们，我的先生还有一家人，7个子女，5个孙子女。”
麦凯恩参议员在越南战争期间曾为战俘，受尽折磨。他星期三发表声明，呼吁参议院投票反对哈斯佩尔出任中情局长。他说，他认为哈斯佩尔是一名爱国者，但是由于她拒绝承认折磨是不道德的作法，因此不合格。
麦凯恩被诊断患有大脑胶质母细胞瘤后去年12月返回亚利桑纳州。这是一种死亡率高的癌症。
A White House official has dismissed Senator John McCain's opposition to President Donald Trump's pick to head the CIA, saying "It doesn't matter, he's dying anyway." The 81-year-old Republican senator from Arizona is battling brain cancer.
Kelly Sadler, a special assistant in the White House communications office, is reported to have made the comment Thursday in a White House communications staff meeting.
Two people who attended the closed-door meeting and spoke to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity said they felt "shocked and stunned" by the remark. The remarks have been confirmed by other media outlets.
The White House did not deny the remark. It issued a statement saying, "We respect Senator McCain's service to our nation and he and his family are in our prayers during this difficult time."
Thursday evening after Sadler's remarks were reported, McCain's wife, Cindy, posted on Twitter: "May I remind you my husband has a family, 7 children and 5 grandchildren."
McCain, who was tortured as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, issued a statement Wednesday urging the Senate to vote against Gina Haspel for CIA director. He said he believes Haspel is a patriot, but "her refusal to acknowledge torture's immorality is disqualifying."
McCain returned to Arizona in December after receiving a diagnosis of glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer.
