Trump: McCain ‘emboldens the enemy’ by questioning success of Yemen raid

by Elliot Smilowitz - 02/09/17 8:48 AM ET

President Trump on Thursday morning tore into Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on Twitter, saying McCain’s concerns with a raid that resulted in the death of a Navy SEAL “emboldens the enemy.”

“Sen. McCain should not be talking about the success or failure of a mission to the media. Only emboldens the enemy!” Trump tweeted.

“He’s been losing so … long he doesn’t know how to win anymore, just look at the mess our country is in — bogged down in conflict all over the place. Our hero … Ryan died on a winning mission (according to General Mattis), not a ‘failure.’ Time for the U.S. to get smart and start winning again!” he added.

Sen. McCain should not be talking about the success or failure of a mission to the media. Only emboldens the enemy! He’s been losing so….

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 9, 2017

…long he doesn’t know how to win anymore, just look at the mess our country is in – bogged down in conflict all over the place. Our hero..

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 9, 2017

..Ryan died on a winning mission ( according to General Mattis), not a “failure.” Time for the U.S. to get smart and start winning again!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 9, 2017

The White House has sharply criticized McCain since the senator on Tuesday called the Yemen raid a “failure” after a classified briefing.

Chief Petty Officer William “Ryan” Owens was killed in the Jan. 29 raid, and children were reportedly among the civilians killed.

{mosads}White House press secretary Sean Spicer on Wednesday described the raid as a “huge success” and said any criticism of the raid was a “disservice” to Owens.

“The life of Chief Ryan Owens was done in service to his country and we owe him and his family a great debt for the information we received during that raid,” Spicer said. “Any suggestion otherwise is a disservice to his courageous life and the actions he took. Full stop.”

McCain on Wednesday invoked his own history as a prisoner of war in his response to Spicer.

“Many years ago, when I was imprisoned in North Vietnam, there was an attempt to rescue the POWs,” McCain said. “Unfortunately, the prison had been evacuated, but the brave men who took — risked their lives in an effort to rescue us prisoners of war were genuine American heroes.

“Because the mission failed did not in any way diminish their courage and willingness to help their fellow Americans who were help captive. Mr. Spicer should know that story.”

Trump has taken a combative and dismissive attitude toward McCain and his war service since early in his campaign. In July 2015, less than a month after he launched his campaign, Trump mocked McCain’s six years as a prisoner during the Vietnam War, sarcastically saying “He was a war hero because he was captured,” before adding, “I like people who weren’t captured.”

Updated at 8:56 a.m.

Tags John McCain