Aide who dismissed McCain with 'he's dying' remark no longer at White House

A White House communications aide who drew heavy criticism after making callous remarks about Sen. John McCain’s health - leading critics, including some Republicans, to demand her firing - is no longer working in the West Wing, a spokesman confirmed Tuesday.

“Kelly Sadler is no longer employed within the Executive Office of the President,” Raj Shah, White House principal deputy press secretary, said in a statement.

It is unclear if Sadler’s exit was a result of her comments about the Arizona senator, which were made during a White House internal staff meeting and subsequently leaked nearly a month ago.

In that meeting, Sadler dismissed McCain’s opposition to CIA director nominee Gina Haspel, saying it "doesn't matter, because he's dying anyway."

McCain, 81, is battling brain cancer.

Reports about the comment sparked a torrent of criticism and a White House public response that focused on those who leaked the comments and resisted apologizing or addressing the content of Sadler’s remark.

Meghan McCain, Sen. John McCain’s daughter, and a co-host of ABC's "The View," has said that Sadler apologized privately in a phone conversation and told her that she would make a public apology, but neither Sadler nor other White House officials have offered any public apology.

ABC News reported that White House press secretary Sarah Sanders later called the comment about McCain "unacceptable" in a closed-door staff meeting but went on to criticize the leakers.

Shah, in the White House briefing the day after the comments were reported, said, “If you aren’t able in internal meetings to speak your mind, or convey thoughts or say anything that you feel without feeling like your colleagues will betray you, that creates a very difficult work environment.”