U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson is calling out President Donald Trump for what he describes as a lack of respect for the late Sen. John McCain.
The president comments about McCain have been in the spotlight since the weekend, when his tweets sparked controversy.
Although both men are Republicans, Isakson is not pleased with the president's comments.
"It's deplorable what he said," Isakson told Georgia Public Broadcasting during an interview Wednesday. Isakson, a Veteran himself, is chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.
"I'm going to stand up for Veterans," he added.
In Oct. of 1967 when McCain was still in the military, a missile struck his plane during a bombing mission over north Vietnam. He was forced to eject and was knocked unconscious. According to his website, he broke both of his arms and his leg. He was taken as a prisoner of war, denied medial treatment and spent most of his time in solitary confinement. He was finally released and able to return home years later.
"We should never reduce the service that people give to this country," Isakson said.
Iskason said he respects the military and the president, but everyone should not talk about Veterans in any way other than brag about their service and sacrifices.
"I will continue to speak out cause there's one thing that we gotta do," he said. "You may not like immigration, you may not like this, you may not like that, You may be a Republican or a Democrat ... but we are all Americans."
"There aren't Democratic casualties or Republican casualties on the battlefield," Isakson continued. "There are American casualties, and we should never reduce their service."
It's not the first time Isakson has stood up for McCain's legacy. Last year, after the senator died, Iskason said anyone who tries to tarnish the reputation of McCain "deserves a whipping."
Even after the weekend, Trump criticized McCain once again on Wednesday in Lima, Ohio as he spoke to workers at a tank plant.
"We are rebuilding the American military, we are restoring American manufacturing and we are once again fighting for American workers," Trump said.
He said McCain "didn't get the job done for our great vets in the VA" and claimed that he badly hurt the Republican Party and the nation with his vote against repealing the health care overhaul put in place under President Barack Obama.
Trump also said he gave McCain "the kind of funeral he wanted" and "I didn't get a thank you." He also said "I've never liked him much," adding that he "probably never will."
On Monday, McCain's daughter, Meghan, fired back at Trump on ABC's "The View" after his Twitter attack. She said the president's life is "pathetic," and added he "will never be a great man." She urged Trump to focus on his family instead of hers.
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