When it comes to military heroes, it’s hard to find someone more legit that Navy Admiral Will McRaven. Now employed by the University of Texas, McRaven recently gave a speech that praised the difficult and sometimes exhaustive work of the press—in stark contrast to the frustrated rhetoric spouted off by Donald J. Trump is the past few weeks. While Trump has been pushing for the American people to ignore the media, referring to them as “the enemy”, and “fake news” (like any budding dictator might) McRaven clearly feels otherwise.
“We must challenge this statement and this sentiment that the news media is the enemy of the American people. This sentiment may be the greatest threat to democracy in my lifetime.”
Said Admiral McRaven, speaking at UT’s communications college. This isn’t the first time, the Admiral has spoken out against Trump Either. In a statement he made on his Muslim ban he said:
“I believe that the talent, energy, and idea flowing into the United States of America – and to UT Systems institutions – from countries around the world are among our greatest strengths. The men and women who show up at our shores and our doors – ready to study, work, and participate – make us stronger, smarter, more competitive, and more attuned to the rest of the globe. I would hope that my commitment to our nation’s security cannot be questioned. I stand behind our nation’s efforts to ensure all our citizens are free from the threat that terrorism can bring to our shores.”
Admiral McRaven is not just any former military member. In fact, he was involved with some of the most high-profile operations our military has undergone in recent history. Although he is most well-known for being at the helm of Operation Neptune Spear—the program to capture and/or kill Osama Bin Laden—McRaven also served as an advisor to former presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush. By the time he retired from the service, he was an admiral with four stars. Therefore, it seems safe to say that McRaven can be considered an expert on all things related to the military. And he does not seem to be a fan of Donald Trump’s policies, if many of his recent statements are taken into account.
During the coming months, it won’t be surprising to see McRaven stepping into the spotlight to speak out against Trump even more. With this man’s intense military background, it’s going to be difficult for him to sit by the sidelines as he watches Trump make mistake after mistake.