White House special assistant Kelly Sadler said Thursday that Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) opposition to Gina Haspel as CIA director didn’t matter because he was “dying,” the Hill reported.

The outlet cited an unnamed source in the room when the remarks were made. Two-dozen communications staffers were reportedly present.

“It doesn’t matter, he’s dying anyway,” Sadler reportedly said, referring to McCain.

“We respect Senator McCain’s service to our nation and he and his family are in our prayers during this difficult time,” the White House told the Hill in a statement, without denying the report.

CNN’s Jim Acosta said on Twitter Thursday that he’d confirmed the Hill’s reporting with an unnamed White House official.

A WH official confirms WH aide Kelly Sadler mocked John McCain’s cancer diagnosis saying “he’s dying anyway” in response to his opposition to Haspel nomination. The “joke… fell flat” the official said. — Jim Acosta (@Acosta) May 10, 2018

McCain revealed last year that he had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer. He said in a statement Thursday that Haspel’s refusal to denounce torture as immoral was “disqualifying.”