Trump’s Twitter attacks advance on two fronts
McCain blasted for questioning success of Yemen assault
“When you lose a $75 million airplane and, more importantly, an American life is lost ... I don’t believe you can call it a success.” Arizona Sen. John McCain
Donald Trump took to Twitter on Thursday morning to attack John McCain after the Arizona senator criticized the White House’s characterization of a raid in Yemen as a “huge success” despite the death of a Navy SEAL.
“When you lose a $75 million airplane and, more importantly, an American life is lost and wounded, I don’t believe you can call it a success,” McCain said to NBC News Wednesday. McCain is the chairman of the Armed Services Committee and was briefed on last month’s strike after it was carried out.
Chief Petty Officer William “Ryan” Owens was killed in the raid, along with an undisclosed number of Yemeni civilians.
“Sen. McCain should not be talking about the success or failure of a mission to the media,” Trump tweeted Thursday morning. “Only emboldens the enemy!”
White House spokesman Sean Spicer had sharp words when he was asked about McCain’s comments during a media briefing Wednesday afternoon.
“It’s absolutely a success, and I think anyone who would suggest it’s not a success does disservice to the life of Chief Ryan Owens,” Spicer said. “He fought knowing what was at stake in that mission, and anybody who would suggest otherwise doesn’t fully appreciate how successful that mission was.”
McCain, who spent more than five years as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War, responded to Spicer’s comments by pointing to his own story as an example of a failed mission but told NBC it did not diminish the heroics of the Americans who fought.
“The brave men who risked their lives in an effort to rescue us prisoners of war were genuine American heroes,” he said, according to NBC. “Because the mission failed did not in any way diminish their courage and willingness to help their fellow Americans.
“Mr. Spicer should know that story,” he said.
McCain spokeswoman Julie Tarallo emailed USA TODAY in response to Trump’s attacks: “Senator McCain will continue to execute his oversight duties as Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee and support the brave men and women serving our nation in uniform.”
This is not the first time Trump has attacked McCain. During his presidential campaign, Trump said McCain was not a war hero because he was captured. The comment sparked intense criticism from both parties.