"When someone in the White House says a Vietnam veteran doesn’t matter because he is dying of brain cancer, that individual should have his employment terminated," VVA President John Rowan said in the release.
The veterans noted that on May 10, the White House did not dispute Sadler’s comments that McCain did not matter because "he’s dying anyway."
They also took issue with remarks by former Fox News military analyst Thomas McInerney, who claimed that torture on McCain while a prisoner of war in Vietnam "worked."
"As an organization, we have had our disagreements with Senator McCain but he will always be one of our brothers," Rowan said. What Sadler and McInerney have said will not be forgotten, as it reveals an incredible lack of respect for the service and sacrifice of every veteran, and their relationships with the White House and Fox News should be severed immediately.
READ MORE: Haspel's Role in CIA Torture Program 'Neither Minor Nor Incidental' — Senator
The disparaging comments by both were prompted by McCain’s decision to vote against confirming CIA director nominee Gina Haspel due to her connection to a US program that tortured terror suspects following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.