The Republican National Committee said President Trump had every right to jab back at retired Navy Admiral William McRaven because McRaven is a partisan who has repeatedly attacked Trump.

“Retired Admiral William McRaven was reportedly on Hillary Clinton’s short list for Vice President in 2016,” the RNC tweeted. “He’s been critical of President Donald Trump — even dating back to the 2016 campaign. He’s hardly a non-political figure.”

Worth noting after recent comments: Retired Adm. William McRaven was reportedly on Hillary Clinton’s short list for Vice President in 2016. He’s been critical of President @realDonaldTrump— even dating back to the 2016 campaign. He’s hardly a non-political figure. — GOP (@GOP) November 19, 2018

Basically, the RNC is saying that if you promote yourself as a political pundit who trashes President Trump, you should not be surprised or upset if he punches back. And you’re not immune to criticism just because you’re a retired admiral.

President Trump triggered liberals after saying that McRaven — who oversaw the Navy SEAL operation that resulted in the death of 9/11 architect Osama bin Laden — should have located bin Laden sooner.

Osama bin Laden was killed in a raid in Pakistan in 2011 — 10 years after he masterminded the September 11, 2001 attacks.

The radical Islamic terrorist attacks caused the tragic deaths of almost 3,000 people, mostly Americans.

“He’s a Hillary Clinton backer and an Obama-backer,” President Trump said of McRaven in an interview with Fox News.

“Wouldn’t it have been nice if we got Osama bin Laden a lot sooner than that? Wouldn’t that have been nice? [He was] living in Pakistan right next to the military academy. Everybody in Pakistan knew he was there.”

If Trump sounds annoyed at William McRaven, it’s because the retired admiral trashed him in an August 2018 Washington Post op-ed criticizing his decision to revoke the security clearance of MSNBC’s John Brennan — the former CIA director under Barack Obama.

President Trump made the decision amid ongoing media leaks of classified intel, which Brennan has repeatedly been caught doing.

Critics also said John Brennan should not be allowed to monetize access to the nation’s most guarded secrets when he’s long gone from public service and is using his security access to undermine a sitting United States president.

Is John Brennan monetizing his security clearance? Is John Brennan making millions of dollars divulging secrets to the mainstream media with his attacks on @realDonaldTrump ? — Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) July 23, 2018

-Brennan leaked the Dossier to Harry Reid

-Comey leaked to NYT

-Clapper lied under oath

-McCabe lied 3 times, faces criminal referral

-Strzok claims he wasn’t biased

-Rice blamed Benghazi on a video If they still have a security clearance, of course they should lose it! — Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) July 24, 2018

In his volcanic op-ed, McRaven ranted:

“I would consider it an honor if you would revoke my security clearance as well, so I can add my name to the list of men and women who have spoken up against your presidency. Through your actions, you have embarrassed us in the eyes of our children, humiliated us on the world stage and, worst of all, divided us as a nation.”

Top military officials are not supposed to be partisan. But so far, most of those who served under Barack Obama have breached that longstanding protocol and outed themselves as leftist activists.

Twice-arrested illegal alien who shot at police is Obama-era DACA beneficiary