The World's 50 Greatest Leaders

Rank
9
Previous: 8 Next: 10

John McCain

Senate Armed Forces Committee Holds Holds Hearing On Foreign Cyber Threats To U.S.
Senator John McCain, a Republican from Arizona and chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, speaks to members of the media near the Senate subway in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017. At the start of a hearing today on foreign cyber threats to the United States, McCain called Russia's hacking an "unprecedented attack" on U.S. democracy. He said "every American should be alarmed" by Russias attack. Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images Andrew Harrer—Bloomberg via Getty Images
  • Title
    U.S Senator
  • Affiliation
    Arizona

It has been nearly three decades since the U.S. last elected a President who saw combat in the military. That helps explain the enduring bipartisan appeal of McCain, the former Navy pilot and prisoner of war who just earned his sixth Senate term. McCain has become one of the nation’s most trusted voices on defense by being both a backer of a strong military and a cautionary voice against ill-advised conflicts. As chair of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, he’s uniquely positioned to help a new administration define what safety means.