A radio host held up a photo of the late Sen. John McCain John Sidney McCainThe Memo: Trump's strengths complicate election picture Mark Kelly: Arizona Senate race winner should be sworn in 'promptly' Cindy McCain: Trump allegedly calling war dead 'losers' was 'pretty much' last straw before Biden endorsement MORE (R-Ariz.) during an appearance on Fox News on Sunday, saying he was doing so on “the off-chance the president’s watching.”

During the segment, Fox News anchor Leland Vittert asked Chip Franklin why he was holding up a photo of the late GOP senator.

“In the off-chance the president’s watching,” Franklin said. “Real heroes out there, Pete Buttigieg Pete ButtigiegThe Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - GOP closes ranks to fill SCOTUS vacancy by November Buttigieg stands in as Pence for Harris's debate practice Hillicon Valley: FBI, DHS warn that foreign hackers will likely spread disinformation around election results | Social media platforms put muscle into National Voter Registration Day | Trump to meet with Republican state officials on tech liability shield MORE, others that have served this country, just a thought.”

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“This went off the rails," Vittert responded.

“No one on FOX was talking about Trumps sick pathos,” Franklin later wrote in a tweet defending his move to put the picture up. “It felt like the thing to do.”

McCain was a frequent Trump critic before his death in August 2018.

The White House last week asked that the USS John S. McCain be hidden during the president’s visit to Japan — a move that acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said wasn’t “unreasonable.”

"The president's feelings towards the former senator are well known," Mulvaney said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

Trump visited two military outfits to cap off his weekend trip to Japan. The president then met with U.S. troops aboard the USS Wasp, where he wished them a "very happy Memorial Day."