John Warner Endorses Clinton-Kaine Ticket, Says: 'Loose Lips Sink Ships.' Got that, Trump?'

ALEXANDRIA, VA -- Former Sen. John Warner, a Republican, formally endorsed the Clinton-Kaine Democratic presidential ticket Wednesday morning in Alexandria at the Charles Houston Rec Center.

Warner was joined at the announcement by Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, Hillary Clinton's running mate. Kaine noted his longtime relationship with the former Senator, and especially his father-in-law Linwood Holton's relationship. Both were in the U.S. Navy.

"John Warner, I know to Mark [Mark Warner, who was also in attendance Wednesday morning] and to me, is our great example of public life in Virginia because he’s proud of who he is, he’s been proud to be a member of the GOP, but he’s always put country and Commonwealth above anything else, and especially on matters of national security," Kaine said.

John Warner said Wednesday morning he was motivated to back Clinton because of her experience and also because of comments made by her opponent. "...no one should have the audacity to stand up and degrade the Purple Heart, degrade military families, or talk about the military being in a state of disaster. That’s wrong," he said. "

Clinton served on the Senate Armed Services Committee when she was a Senator from New York. Warner served as chairman of the committee for 20 years.

"...one thing about Candidate Clinton you’ve got to understand, she has always throughout her life prepared, done her homework, and studied," Warner said, mentioning that she often arrived early to hearings to meet the witnesses.

"As I’ve watched this race unfold, I said there comes a time when I’ve got to stand up, even though I’m basically in retirement, and assert my own views and say to those people in my great state of Virginia, and particularly those people who are still struggling with how they want to vote – and this has been an unusual election," Warner said. "...when I go into the booth, cast a vote for the Clinton-Kaine ticket."

Clinton released a statement on the endorsement, saying: "For 30 years, Virginians trusted John Warner in the Senate, and for good reason: he has dedicated his life to defending our country from serving in the Navy in World War II to chairing the Senate Armed Services Committee, where I had the honor of working with him to support our men and women in uniform and their families. I am proud to have John's support, and to know that someone with his decades of experience would trust me with the weighty responsibility of being Commander in Chief."

Warner didn't mention GOP presidential nominee Donald J. Trump by name until the end of his speech.

"I remember back in boot camp in the winter of 1945, when Iwo Jima was going on and big battles in Europe – the Battle of the Bulge was that time – they drilled into us 17-, 18-year-old kids day after day; there was a placard on the wall that simply stated, 'Loose lips sink ships.' Got that, Trump? Loose lips sink ships."

PHOTOS: Former Sen. John Warner, photo by Sgt Mallory S. VanderSchans, defenseimagery.mil; Hillary Clinton, Tim Kaine (official photos)