McCain backs Trump's criticism of F-35 but says the president can't cancel the program

AP

John McCain, the chairman of the US Senate Armed Services Committee, said on Monday he backed President-elect Donald Trump's criticism of the costs of Lockheed Martin's F-35 fighter-jet program, but he said a president does not have the authority to cancel it because funds have already been appropriated.

In an interview with Reuters, McCain, a leading Republican voice on national security and outspoken critic of Pentagon cost overruns, said, however, that Trump would have the power to reduce future purchases of the new-generation fighters if he decided to do so.

"He can reduce the buy over time, next year, as we look at it again," McCain said. "But right now, the acquisition … of lots of them is already taking place, and I'm happy to say at fixed-price contract. The president, I'm sure, can examine it."

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