Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter
Duncan Duane HunterGOP lawmaker: ‘I don’t care if Trump misspeaks’ Republicans top Dems at charity golf game Cook Political Report shifts 5 races after California, NJ primaries MORE (Calif.) said Friday night that President Trump
Donald John TrumpKavanaugh once said president would likely have to testify before grand jury if subpoenaed: report Twitter says InfoWars account will remain online despite violating its rules Melania Trump family immigration lawyer praises so-called 'chain migration' MORE wouldn't last long under torture.
Hunter, who served three overseas tours in Iraq and Afghanistan after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, was responding to Trump's previous criticism of Sen. John McCain
John Sidney McCainMan arrested for threatening ICE agents on Twitter Planned Parenthood launches six-figure Supreme Court ad campaign Trump’s endorsements cement power but come with risks MORE's (R-Ariz.) imprisonment in Vietnam.
"Not very long," Hunter said when asked by HBO's Bill Maher on his show "Real Time."
"He'd probably torture his torturers, talking about the election. 'Nobody thought I'd get to 300,' " said Maher, mocking Trump over his electoral college win in 2016.
Trump in 2015 dismissed McCain's time in a prisoner-of-war camp during the Vietnam War.
“He was a war hero because he was captured,” Trump joked at the time. “I like people who weren’t captured.”
Hunter described Trump's comment as "pretty bad," and added that he made similar remarks in the context of a conversation with friends.
"I've made the same John McCain joke with my friends, who are other Marines. ... 'If I were a better pilot, I wouldn't get shot down.'... I've made that joke. But I make it to my friends not on national TV as the contender for the U.S. presidency. It shouldn't be done," he said.
Hunter usually votes with Trump, according to FiveThirtyEight. The congressman is currently facing a federal investigation due to questions about his campaign finances.
