John McCain’s eldest son, Douglas McCain, dies at 66

Douglas McCain, the eldest son of Sen. John McCain and a member of one of Arizona’s best-known political families, has died at 66.

Meghan McCain announced her brother’s death in a social-media tribute on Sunday, saying he died suddenly and describing him as a “wonderful, joyful man” who supported her throughout her life. An online obituary lists his death as Wednesday, May 20, 2026.

Douglas McCain was born on October 4, 1959, in Pensacola, Florida, and later lived in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He was John McCain’s adopted son from the senator’s first marriage to Carol Shepp McCain. John McCain married Carol in 1965 and adopted Douglas and his brother, Andrew, the following year.

McCain’s life was marked by military and aviation service. He flew A-6 Intruders as a Navy pilot for six years, following a path that echoed the military tradition of the McCain family. He later worked for American Airlines and became a captain.

The McCain Institute issued a condolence statement, saying Douglas McCain “will be remembered as a patriot and friend to the many alumni of Sen. McCain’s Institute, campaigns & Senate staff.” The brief public tribute underscored the family’s continuing presence in national politics long after John McCain’s death.

Douglas McCain is survived by his wife, Ashley, their two children, Caroline and Douglas, his mother, Carol Shepp, and his siblings and step-siblings. His father died in 2018 after being diagnosed with brain cancer.

For the McCain family, the loss lands with particular force because it comes from inside a lineage that has been closely tied to public service, military duty and presidential politics for decades. Douglas McCain kept a lower public profile than his father and sister, but his death now joins the family’s long, closely watched history in Arizona and beyond.