Trump stirs another unlikely quarrel

President TrumpDonald John TrumpBrown Snard County Official Resigns After Criticism Lt.-Retired Lieutenant General Mourns Trump after Navy SEAL Attacks: "Disgusting" Senate Barrels Lead to Confrontation Over Trump's Court Decision MORE Monday stoked his last unlikely quarrel – a fight with the decorated admiral who oversaw the mission that killed Osama bin Laden.

Trump criticized retired Admiral William McRaven in an interview with Fox News on Sunday about McRaven's criticism that the president's press speech was "the biggest threat to democracy." " in his lifetime.

Asked about McRaven's comments, Trump suggested that the United States could have captured bin Laden earlier and reprimanded the Admiral's political appearance.

The president's comments were widely criticized by people on both sides of the aisle, but that did not stop Trump from doubling Monday on Twitter.

"Of course, we should have captured Osama Bin Laden well before us. I stated it in my book just BEFORE the attack on the World Trade Center. President Clinton missed his shot, wrote Trump on Twitter.

Support for McRaven filtered out Monday political parties and members of the military community. Several people refuted the president's claim that the United States was slow to dismantle Bin Laden.

"This president owes Ambassador McCraven and all the SEAL involved in this operation an apology for what he said," Leon Panetta, CIA director at the time of the mission, told MSNBC.

"It undermines his position as commander-in-chief not only with those who conducted the operation, but with the entire army," added Panetta.

Robert O'Neill, the former Navy SEAL who allegedly killed bin Laden, wrote on Twitter that the mission was "bipartisan" and that the team involved "wanted to have it as soon as possible".

"ADM McRaven was born to lead this mission. I will follow him anywhere, "said O. Neill.

Sen. Marco RubioMarco Antonio RubioThe councilors are fighting over whether it will run in 2020. Rubio defends the analogy of the 3-point kick: "Do you think that everyone who follows politics knows what a goal on the ground is?" Lawmakers to introduce bipartisan bill to treat China's Muslims MORE (R-Fla.) Congratulated McRaven for his military service, tweeting that "few Americans have sacrificed or risked more than him."

Sen. Jack ReedJohn (Jack) Francis ReedTrump defends deployment at border after further scrutiny Democrats wonder whether Sherrod Brown could be their magic man Night Defense – Presented by Raytheon – Border deployment peaked at 5,800 soldiers | Trump sanctions 17 Saudis for killing Khashoggi | Senators Propose Bill to Support Trump on Saudis | Paul's efforts to block the sale of arms in Bahrain fail MORE (R.I.), the most Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a statement that many Americans had died in pursuit of bin Laden. He attributed to McRaven the fact of expressing himself "because he feels the moral obligation to do so" and criticized Trump for not having challenged the initial criticisms of him. Admiral.

McRaven is just the last person with a decorated military career to absorb the wrath of the president for speaking critically.

During the 2016 campaign, Trump exchanged harsh words with Khizr Khan, the father of a dead soldier, a member of the Gold Star, for criticizing Trump at the Democratic National Convention. .

Trump mocked Sen's fire. John McCainJohn Sidney McCainDem's winnings put Sunbelt at stake for 2020 Trump should have a close ally, Graham, under the mighty presidency Cindy McCain turns to Trump: we need a strong leader, no d & # 39; 39, a negative Nancy & # 39; AFTER (R-Ariz.) For his prisoner of war detention and was criticized in August for his slowness in officially recognizing McCain's death by half-flagging.

Just last week, Trump was criticized for not attending any ceremony on the occasion of Veterans Day. In Fox's interview, the president said he regretted not having done so.

The president's attacks on individual members of the military service or their family members go against the pro-military figure he tried to cultivate, touting the reforms of the Department of Veterans Affairs, assuring additional funding to the armed forces and filling his cabinet with former officers.

It is unclear whether the attacks are hurting Trump's presence with the military or their families, although some members of the community criticized the president on Monday.

"I do not think personal attacks against anyone are justified," said retired General Stanley McChrystal, who resigned as commander of the nation in Afghanistan in 2010, after criticizing the Former vice president. Joe BidenJoseph (Joe) Robinette BidenDems wonders if Sherrod Brown could be their magic man The Biden family adopts a dog The entrepreneur boasts great solutions and admits to having discussed his candidacy in the presidential election PLUS and other civilian leaders were published in an article by Rolling Stone.

"I think there is some honesty in what is happening now," McChrystal told CNN, questioned about the impact of Trump's remarks on troop morale. "The president did not go to Arlington Cemetery for Veterans Day, and that may be honest, because if you do not care, it would be dishonest to pretend to do it."

McRaven has maintained his assessment of Trump in a statement released Sunday. He clarified that he was not supporting the former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonThe fallen Lieutenant-General tears Trump after attacks on Navy SEAL: "Disgusting" The retired admiral who was monitoring the bin Laden raid complies with Trump's critics Trump rejects the critics of Navy SEAL who led the mission of Osama bin Laden MORE or any other candidate in the 2016 election as had suggested Trump, and that he was working under both former President Obama and former President George W. Bush .

McChrystal, who served in the military for over 30 years and led US forces in Afghanistan in 2009 and 2010, said he had not explicitly spoken to his colleagues about whether Trump's opinion had changed within the army as a result of his repeated attacks. on some of his most prominent former members.

The four-star general suggested that the president's rhetoric and how he behaves as a leader could affect the way he is received by the troops.

"We have some things we want and we ask leaders," McChrystal said. "And to a certain extent, there must be trust in the leader's core values. We must believe enough in what this leader represents to make us feel comfortable following them, sometimes until our death.

"And so I think that the degree of discomfort people face behavior or attitudes that are incompatible with what they believe in must be a factor," he added.