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Which black Admiral publicly disagreed with Trump's statements?
Executive summary
Retired U.S. Navy Admiral William H. McRaven is a well-documented Black admiral who publicly criticized Donald Trump on multiple occasions, saying Trump “embarrassed us” and calling his behavior disqualifying for command, and McRaven has faced pushback from Trump and some military peers [1] [2]. Coverage also notes broader instances where current or retired Black admirals raised concerns about Trump-era policies or actions — for example, reporting cites Admiral Alvin Holsey as having “raised concerns” about a mission that generated bipartisan pushback [3].
1. Who publicly disagreed: William H. McRaven — a high-profile, retired critic
Retired four‑star Navy Admiral William H. McRaven publicly criticized President Trump on several occasions, writing that Trump had “embarrassed us in the eyes of our children, humiliated us on the world stage and, worst of all, divided us as a nation,” and saying he would “consider it an honor” if Trump revoked his security clearance after Brennan’s revocation; these statements drew direct rebuttals from Trump and disagreement from some military friends [1]. More recent commentary by McRaven continued sharp criticism, calling Trump’s behavior disqualifying and likening it to a “disturbed 15‑year‑old boy” in an opinion column [2].
2. Other Black admirals in the coverage: Alvin Holsey’s reported concerns
Reporting in TheGrio cites Admiral Alvin Holsey — a Black, four‑star commander who led U.S. Southern Command — as having “raised concerns” about a Trump administration mission in the Caribbean Sea that resulted in deadly strikes; that reporting connects Holsey’s concerns to bipartisan scrutiny of the operation [3]. Available sources do not offer Holsey’s direct quotes in the provided excerpts, but they attribute to reporting in the New York Times the characterization that he “raised concerns” [3].
3. Context: retired officers speaking out is uncommon and can be contentious
Reuters noted that traditionally senior retired officers avoid public criticism of a sitting commander‑in‑chief, and that McRaven’s public critiques drew censure from some former colleagues who felt he overstepped norms; Trump publicly dismissed McRaven as a political partisan in response [1]. This framing helps explain why public disagreement from high‑ranking Black admirals — retired or active — draws pronounced attention and political counterattack [1].
4. Broader pattern: tensions between military leaders and the Trump administration
Multiple outlets in these search results document a larger pattern of friction between Trump (and allies) and senior military leaders, including firings and policy disputes. The Guardian and Military.com pieces describe a wider purge of senior officers and debates over “woke” policies and diversity programs that became flashpoints for removal and criticism [4] [5]. Those stories provide context for why public disagreements by admirals, including Black admirals, have taken on political salience [4] [5].
5. Competing viewpoints and limits of the record
The sources present two main perspectives: critics like McRaven who openly condemned Trump’s conduct and policies [1] [2], and critics of those public interventions — including some military peers and Trump himself — who argued retired officers should not publicly attack a sitting president and who dismissed McRaven as partisan [1]. The available excerpts do not show direct denials from Admiral Holsey about the New York Times characterization; therefore, “available sources do not mention” his own public statements in these snippets and direct quotes are not provided here [3].
6. Why the question matters: norms, race, and military credibility
Public dissent by high‑ranking Black admirals touches on institutional norms (retired officers speaking publicly), racial representation at the highest levels (the references to CQ Brown Jr. and firings of Black senior officers), and political weaponization of military personnel decisions [4] [6]. Reporting highlights that when Black admirals speak out — or are perceived to be targeted — the story is read through lenses of both civil‑military norms and racial politics [4] [6].
7. Takeaway and what’s not in these excerpts
The clearest documented example in the supplied reporting is Admiral William McRaven as a retired Black admiral who publicly disagreed with Trump [1] [2]. Reporting also attributes concerns to Admiral Alvin Holsey about a particular mission [3]. Available sources do not mention other specific Black admirals who publicly and directly disputed Trump within these provided excerpts; further reporting beyond these sources would be needed to name additional individuals or provide their direct statements [3].