The White House’s request that the Navy hide a destroyer that honors Senator John McCain during President Trump’s recent trip to Japan has ignited a furor over how the administration, from the president down, has acted toward the Navy veteran and longtime Arizona lawmaker, who died in August 2018.

Although Mr. Trump denied personally playing any role in asking the Navy to prevent the U.S.S. John S. McCain from appearing in photographs with the president during his state visit, the disclosure of the White House’s request immediately turned the ship into a political symbol.

Here are some questions and answers about the McCain.

Is the ship named for the senator?

It is now, but he is not the only John McCain that the ship’s name honors.

The McCain was commissioned in 1994, and it was originally named for the senator’s grandfather, Adm. John S. McCain Sr., who commanded a carrier task force in World War II, and father, Adm. John S. McCain Jr., a submarine commander in the war who later rose to head what was then known as United States Pacific Command.