mobanmarketDonald Trump has been criticised for mocking a former Navy Seal for failing to capture and kill Osama Bin Laden "sooner".
Retired admiral Bill McRaven, who led the 2011 mission to track down and kill the 9/11 terror attack mastermind, had previously suggested the US president was "the greatest threat to democracy in his lifetime".
When asked about the comments during an interview with Fox News on Sunday, Mr Trump claimed that the retired Navy Seal was a "Hillary Clinton fan", adding "wouldn’t it have been nicer if we got Osama Bin Laden a lot sooner than that?"
He added: "Everybody in Pakistan knew he was there. And we give Pakistan $1.3 billion and year and they don’t tell him".
Mr McRaven said he stood by his remarks condemning the president’s assault on the media. “I did not back Hillary Clinton or anyone else [in 2016],” Mr McRaven told CNN.
Of course we should have captured Osama Bin Laden long before we did. I pointed him out in my book just BEFORE the attack on the World Trade Center. President Clinton famously missed his shot. We paid Pakistan Billions of Dollars & they never told us he was living there. Fools!..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 19, 2018
“I am a fan of President Obama and President George W Bush, both of whom I worked for.
“I stand by my comment that the president’s attack on the media is the greatest threat to our democracy in my lifetime."
He added: “When you undermine the people’s right to a free press and freedom of speech and expression, then you threaten the Constitution and all for which it stands.”
Mr Trump’s comments also drew the ire of Pakistan’s prime minister Imran Khan.
Record needs to be put straight on Mr Trump's tirade against Pakistan: 1. No Pakistani was involved in 9/11 but Pak decided to participate in US War on Terror. 2. Pakistan suffered 75,000 casualties in this war & over $123 bn was lost to economy. US "aid" was a miniscule $20 bn.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) November 19, 2018
Mr Khan said his country had suffered 75,000 casualties and lost $123 billion in the "US War on Terror," despite the fact that no Pakistanis were involved in the September 11 attacks in 2001.
Mr Trump continued his tirade on Monday, tweeting: "Of course we should have captured Osama Bin Laden long before we did. I pointed him out in my book just BEFORE the attack on the World Trade Center.
"We no longer pay Pakistan the $Billions because they would take our money and do nothing for us, Bin Laden being a prime example."