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While visiting Australia, outspoken warmonger Sen. John McCain told ABC TV that Russia is a bigger security threat than Islamic State, based on its willingness to challenge the democratic foundations of the U.S. by interfering in elections. The visit to Australia by the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee was part of an Asia tour to outline a blueprint for the U.S. to invest nearly $8 billion bulking up its military presence in the region by upgrading infrastructure, conducting additional exercises and deploying more forces and ships. Mr. McCain’s visit also was aimed at reassuring allies about U.S. willingness...

CANBERRA, Australia—Russia is a bigger security threat than Islamic State, based on its willingness to challenge the democratic foundations of the U.S. by interfering in elections, Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.) said during a visit to Australia. Mr. McCain, who was in Australia to discuss Asia-Pacific security issues, said Russian President Vladimir Putin was the “premier” challenge to American security. “I think ISIS can do terrible things and I worry a lot about what is happening with the Muslim faith,” he told Australian ABC state television Monday. “But it’s the Russians who tried to destroy the very fundamental of democracy,...

The Republican also admitted in an exclusive interview with 7.30 that President Donald Trump sometimes made him "nervous". During a visit to Canberra, Senator McCain said Mr Putin was the "premier and most important threat, more so than ISIS". "I think ISIS can do terrible things. But it's the Russians who tried to destroy the fundamental of democracy and that is to change the outcome of an American election," he said. "I've seen no evidence they succeeded, but they tried and they are still trying to change elections. "They just tried to affect the outcome of the French election. So...

When Senator Lindsey Graham’s long-time legislative assistant Virginia Boney, who specialized in healthcare legislation, was hired to be a legislative affairs chief for the National Security Council, more than a few heads turned. Boney, who is anti-Trump, has no meaningful national security experience. She was also hired instead of several veterans who had applied for the position.“McMaster took her in exchange for Lindsey’s and McCain’s support,” one source with knowledge of the deal told me. Several others confirmed this assessment, noting Boney is completely unqualified to be at NSC.Before working at NSC, Boney was, Deputy Director of Appropriations and Projects...

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said Democrats meddled with former Sen. Joe Lieberman's chances of becoming FBI Director in the wake of President Donald Trump's firing of James Comey. McCain said that the Democrats' opposition to Lieberman stopped him from being selected for the post after the Trump Administration signaled that he was on the shortlist. "My Democratic colleagues clearly did [kill Lieberman's chances]," McCain told reporters Wednesday, according to CNN. "This is their nominee for vice president of the United States. If anything would make you cynical about this town, that's it." Lieberman was indeed the Democratic vice presidential nominee...

Tuesday Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said President Donald Trump’s budget was dead on arrival. In a statement, McCain said, “President Trump’s $603 billion defense budget request is inadequate to the challenges we face, illegal under current law, and part of an overall budget proposal that is dead on arrival in Congress.” McCain was asked by MSNBC’s Kasie Hunt, “Can I ask you about president’s budget? Is it dead on arrival?” He replied, “Yes. and the commitment to rebuilding the military cannot be fulfilled with this level of spending. It is $30 billion too short.”

RUSH: I mean, yeah, the Democrats are doing what they’re doing, and it’s undeniable. But Trump’s budget. This is absurd. This is outrageous. McCain and Lindsey Graham pronouncing it dead on arrival before it shows up. The media — you wouldn’t believe — the media is accusing Trump of outright indecency by suggesting economic growth of 3%, such a thing is not possible. It’s irresponsible to make people think that it is. That Trump’s budget’s gonna kill people with all these cuts. There aren’t any cuts in the Trump budget. As always, all there are is reductions in the rate...

Tuesday Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said President Donald Trump’s budget was dead on arrival. In a statement, McCain said, “President Trump’s $603 billion defense budget request is inadequate to the challenges we face, illegal under current law, and part of an overall budget proposal that is dead on arrival in Congress.”

The firm headed by Hillary Clinton’s former chief strategist, Mark Penn, is helping run incumbent President Victor Yushchenko’s campaign. Meanwhile Paul Manafort, whose firm worked on Republican John McCain’s losing effort, and Tad Devine, a top strategist on the Democratic presidential campaigns of Al Gore in 2000 and John Kerry in 2004, are consulting for Victor Yanukovych, the pro-Russian frontrunner in the polls.

The Arizona pair — especially McCain — has continued to be top Republicans critics of Trump in the White House’s current battles over the firing of FBI Director Jim Comey and ties with Russia. Flake and McCain are top Republican backers of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and other free trade deals. Trump is reworking NAFTA with Mexico and Canada. Those are Arizona’s top two trading partners. McCain told Fox News Sunday he’s “almost speechless” over Trump reportedly calling Comey a “nut job” to Russia’s foreign minister and ambassador. McCain and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., are also...

Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.) on Sunday walked back earlier comments that the controversy surrounding investigations into potential collusion between associates of President Donald Trump and the Russian government had reached “Watergate size and scale.” Mr. McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, in an interview on Fox News Sunday said he had been referring to the way the Trump administration was managing the situation. “Now the question is, how is it handled? Is it handled the way Watergate was where it’s drip, drip, drip, every day more, or do we handle it like the—like Ronald Reagan handled Iran...

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) reportedly said Tuesday that scandals within President Trump's administration are reaching a "Watergate size and scale." McCain made the statement at an International Republican Institute dinner on Tuesday night. Multiple reporters said that during a speech at the event, McCain compared recent reports surrounding Trump's administration to Watergate, which led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon. McCain's statement came just hours after a bombshell report that Trump asked then-FBI Director James Comey in February to stop his investigation of former national security adviser Michael Flynn. Trump has faced major fallout over the last week following...

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., shared high praise for his Republican colleague Sen. John McCain, who is in his "finest hour" because of his willingness to speak out against President Trump. During an interview Friday on HBO's "Real Time," Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, was asked by host Bill Maher to react to the latest wave of town halls in which Republicans have faced fierce backlash over the Obamacare repeal and Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey.

The Senate on Thursday easily confirmed President Trump’s nominee for United States trade representative. After months of delays, Robert Lighthizer sailed through in an 82-14 confirmation vote. The bulk of the Trump administration’s trade agenda has been in a holding pattern, leaving issues such as the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the direction of future global deals up in the air while Lightizer waited for Senate approval... Republican Sens. John McCain (Ariz.) and Ben Sasse (Neb.) had written a letter to Lighthizer saying they would oppose his nomination because “your confirmation process has failed to...

Methane Mavericks! John McCain, Lindsey Graham and Susan Collins are liberals. You understand that, right? They are not moderates. They’re liberals. But wait! You want to defend McCain because he was a prisoner of war and he put Sarah Palin on the map. Stop. Just stop. He may vote with his Republican colleagues on occasion when it’s politically easy for him to do so, but when it comes to the big questions, McCain is a liberal. That’s why he refuses to support eliminating the filibuster on legislation, because it would take away Chuck Schumer’s ability to stop the Republican agenda.

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) - A crowd of people lined both sides of Camelback Road Wednesday evening, protesting outside the offices of Arizona Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake. "I don't regularly come to protests, but I hope they pay attention and hear us," Martha McCoy of Mesa said. President Donald Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey prompted the protest. "Somebody needs to stand up. If enough people protest, maybe something will be done about this," Larry Brusuelas said. He and the others held signs, demanding an independent prosecutor be appointed to look into possible ties between members of the...

President Donald J. Trump fired now-former FBI Director James Comey to send a message to Senator John McCain, sources close to the White House confirm. Earlier this year, McCain went after Trump with widely discredited opposition research that he immediately shared with Comey, his longtime friend. Comey worked with McCain to go after businessman Jack Abramoff after Abramoff stopped McCain from winning the Republican Primary in 2000. McCain has since been working with FBI Director Comey to help undermine President Trump since Trump was elected. The FBI firing move, which did not leak, was carried out by White House counsel...

Two Republican senators announced Wednesday that they will oppose Robert Lighthizer, President Trump’s nominee for United States Trade Representative, ahead of his likely confirmation this week. Sens. John McCain (Ariz.) and Ben Sasse (Neb.) told Lighthizer in a letter released Wednesday that they’d vote against him because “your confirmation process has failed to reassure us that you understand the North American Free Trade Agreement’s (NAFTA) positive economic benefits to our respective States and the nation as a whole.” “We fear that you do not have an appreciation for the millions of jobs created by this free trade deal, and that...

Three Republicans joined Senate Democrats on Wednesday to reject an effort to overturn an Obama administration rule limiting methane emissions from oil and natural gas drilling. Only 49 senators voted to move forward with debate on legislation to undo the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) rule, short of the 51 votes needed. Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) joined all 48 members of the Democratic caucus in rejecting the resolution under the Congressional Review Act (CRA). Graham and Collins had previously publicized their plans to vote against the legislation. But McCain’s vote came as a...

Three Republicans joined Senate Democrats on Wednesday to reject an effort to overturn an Obama administration rule limiting methane emissions from oil and natural gas drilling. Only 49 senators voted to move forward with debate on legislation to undo the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) rule, short of the 51 votes needed.   Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Susan Collins (Maine) and John McCain (Ariz.) joined all 48 members of the Democratic caucus in rejecting the resolution under the Congressional Review Act (CRA).