Outgoing House Speaker Paul Ryan Monday stood up for retired Navy Admiral William McRaven, after President Donald Trump dismissed the officer who led the raid to kill Osama bin Laden as a "fan" of Hillary Clinton and a "backer" of ex-President Barack Obama.
“Admiral McRaven and all members of our military who have served in harm’s way have put country before self, and we are grateful for their service," Ryan's spokeswoman, AshLee Strong, said in a statement, The Hill reported.
"Speaker Ryan has traveled to Afghanistan multiple times, most recently in October, and has seen our military’s service and dedication firsthand. As the holidays approach, we are especially grateful for our troops’ sacrifice."
During an interview with Fox News' Chris Wallace, Trump also asked why it took so long to find bin Laden, asking if "wouldn’t it have been nice if we got Osama bin Laden a lot sooner than that, wouldn’t it have been nice?"
McRaven has frequently criticized Trump, including saying that the president's attacks on the media are the "greatest threat to our democracy," and on Sunday insisted that he did not back Clinton's campaign.
"I am a fan of President Obama and President George W. Bush, both of whom I worked for," McRaven said. "I admire all presidents, regardless of their political party, who uphold the dignity of the office and who use that office to bring the nation together in challenging times."
McRaven also told CNN Sunday that he stands by his comments on the president and the media.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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