The Navy admiral who oversaw the Osama bin Laden raid voted for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden because of his stance on climate change and Black Lives Matter.
"This week I went to the polls in Texas. Truth be told, I am a pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, small-government, strong-defense and a national-anthem-standing conservative," William McRaven wrote in an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal.
"But, I also believe that Black Lives Matter, that the Dreamers deserve a path to citizenship, that diversity and inclusion are essential to our national success, that education is the great equalizer, that climate change is real, and that the First Amendment is the cornerstone of our democracy. Most important, I believe that America must lead in the world with courage, conviction and a sense of honor and humility.”
McRaven, who retired from the Navy in 2014, was head of the U.S. Joint Special Operations Command in 2011 when SEAL Team Six raided an al-Qaida compound in Pakistan and killed the world's most wanted terrorist.
In his op-ed he said the U.S. needs a leader who "understands the importance of American leadership, at home and abroad."
He added: "If we remain indifferent to our role in the world, if we retreat from our obligation to our citizens and our allies and if we fail to choose the right leader, then we will pay the highest price for our neglect and shortsightedness. I voted for Joe Biden."
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.