Sen. John McCain John Sidney McCainMcSally says current Senate should vote on Trump nominee Say what you will about the presidential candidates, as long as it isn't 'They're too old' The electoral reality that the media ignores MORE (R-Ariz.) bucked President Trump in an op-ed on Thursday, saying Congress does not answer to him despite his recent attacks on the lawmakers.

"We must respect his authority and constitutional responsibilities. We must, where we can, cooperate with him. But we are not his subordinates. We don’t answer to him. We answer to the American people," McCain wrote in a Washington Post op-ed.

"We must be diligent in discharging our responsibility to serve as a check on his power. And we should value our identity as members of Congress more than our partisan affiliation," he continued.

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McCain called for "a return to regular order" in the piece, which he said was in part essential due to the fact "Congress must govern with a president who has no experience of public office, is often poorly informed and can be impulsive in his speech and conduct."

The veteran senator's comments come as Congress faces gridlock and extremely low approval ratings from the public, with both chambers attempting to tackle tax reform after Senate Republicans' failure to pass an ObamaCare repeal bill in July.

A new Fox News poll found that only 15 percent of voters polled approved of the job Congress was doing.

Trump has taken to publicly criticizing his lawmakers recently, most notably taking aim at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellObama calls on Senate not to fill Ginsburg's vacancy until after election Planned Parenthood: 'The fate of our rights' depends on Ginsburg replacement Progressive group to spend M in ad campaign on Supreme Court vacancy MORE (R-Ky.).

The only problem I have with Mitch McConnell is that, after hearing Repeal & Replace for 7 years, he failed!That should NEVER have happened! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 24, 2017

Trump also took aim at McCain and fellow Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake Jeffrey (Jeff) Lane FlakeRepublican former Michigan governor says he's voting for Biden Maybe they just don't like cowboys: The president is successful, some just don't like his style Bush endorsing Biden? Don't hold your breath MORE (R) at a rally in Phoenix.

His attacks come as Congress is set to return from the August recess, and Republicans will look to work with Trump on tax reform.