Former Navy SEAL criticises Trump, president hits back

WASHINGTON: President Trump on Monday continued his war words with retired admiral William McRaven, commander of the US Navy SEALs raid that killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan in 2011, whom he had earlier criticised for not doing it sooner.

“Of course we should have captured Osama Bin Laden long before we did,” he tweeted, doubling down on an argument he first made in an interview.

In the interview, Trump dismissed McRaven as a “Hillary Clinton fan” and an “Obama backer” and said, “Wouldn’t it have been nice if we got Osama bin Laden a lot sooner than that, wouldn’t it have been nice?”

McRaven, who is battling blood cancer, hit back in a statement to CNN. “I did not back Hillary Clinton or anyone else. I am a fan of President Obama and President George W Bush, both of whom I worked for.”

“I stand by my (earlier) comment that the President’s attack on the media is the greatest threat to our democracy in my lifetime. When you undermine the people’s right to a free press and freedom of speech and expression, then you threaten the Constitution and all for which it stands.”

He did not say anything about the timing of the raid.

McRaven, who also commanded the operation that captured Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, is considered an American icon and one of the country’s top military leaders.