There is no love lost between Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and President Donald Trump. The senator’s comments on the Trump administration’s failed raid in Yemen aren’t likely to change that.
“When you lose a $75 million airplane and, more importantly, American lives are lost and wounded, I don’t believe that you can call it a success,” McCain told a reporter on Wednesday.
John McCain vs. Sean Spicer. Watch. pic.twitter.com/pEjg8H4Frc
— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) February 9, 2017
Not surprisingly, the thin-skinned president had a below-the-belt reply.
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
Trump’s tweet ignores his own criticism of armed conflict in Mosul from October, when someone else was president.
The attack on Mosul is turning out to be a total disaster. We gave them months of notice. U.S. is looking so dumb. VOTE TRUMP and WIN AGAIN!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 23, 2016
The feud between McCain and Trump can be traced back to the start of his 2016 presidential campaign. After McCain claimed that Trump was drawing “crazies” to his campaign with racist comments about Mexicans, Trump infamously insulted the Vietnam-era war hero by declaring, “He’s not a war hero. ‘He’s a war hero because he was captured.’ I like people that weren’t captured.”
Hard feelings between the two lasted throughout the 2016 election and have clearly continued into Trump’s presidency. Shortly after Trump was sworn in last month, McCain said he wasn’t sure he had “utmost confidence” in Trump “because he has made so many comments that are contradictory.” He has already broken away from the new president on a number of major policy issues, including America’s relationship with Russia, the use of torture, trade policy and the Muslim ban.
